‘A’ Diatonic Minor Scale

The diatonic minor scale is very similar to the pentatonic scale that you’re probably familiar with by now. The only difference is that you’re adding the two notes the pentatonic scale leaves out. In the A minor example in the video, these two notes – the ‘color’ notes – are B and F. In the scale pattern, that’s the II and the VI notes.

If you’re not familiar with what I’m talking about with the II and VI, you might want to checkout my bass and joyo pedal electric  guitar lesson on I, IV and V. It’s quite a fundamental one in my opinion, and really helps open up the guitar.

But onward and upward! Today we’re talking about the diatonic minor scale. Please add this one to your practice routine – its a very important scale – more so than the major scale, as the guitar favors the minor. Piano teachers (and most guitar teachers) always start you off with the major scales (most commonly C major), but that’s because piano is geared for that. Guitar isn’t. Guitar is an extremely minor-friendly instrument.

Besides, A minor is the first scale that was ever invented. Not C major.

How do I know that?

Simple. When you start counting your marbles, do you start at 3? Nope, you start at 1.

So, the first scale was simple – A, B, C, D, E, F, G.

NOT C, D, E, F, G, A, B – that just wouldn’t make sense, would it?

Anyways, there’s your guitar scales trivia for the day – let’s get on with the lesson!

Watch the the lesson on Youtube

If you’d like to learn more about guitar scales and how they fit together all across the fretboard, I recommend checking out my Guitar Scale Patterns course.

Comments or Questions? Leave one at the bottom of the page! And make sure you practice your diatonic minor scale lots today!