A Minor

A Minor scale for guitar.
The A Minor is a seven-note scale, also called Natural A Minor. Colored circles mark the tones in the diagram, with darker color highlighting the root notes. The root notes are always A tones. In the two-octave pattern, the first root note is on the 6th string, 5th fret.

A Minor 2 octaves

A Minor full fretboard

A Minor with note names

Shape 1 (4th position) with fingerings

Shape 2 (7th position) with fingerings

Shape 3 (9th position) with fingerings

Shape 4 (12th position) with fingerings

Shape 5 (2nd position) with fingerings

Notes: A – B – C – D – E – F – G

Intervals: 2 – 1 – 2 – 2 – 1 – 2 – 2

Type: Septonic 

The scale displayed with its numeric formula, intervals and scale degrees.

Formula
Notes
Intervals
Degrees

1
A
Unison
Tonic

2
B
Major second
Supertonic

b3
C
Minor third
Mediant

4
D
Perfect fourth
Subdominant

5
E
Perfect fifth
Dominant

b6
F
Minor sixth
Submediant

b7
G
Minor seventh
Subtonic

The interval formula (2 – 1 – 2 – 2 – 1 – 2 – 2) can be expound into specific notes of the scale.

Notes (ascending)
Interval

A-B
M2

A-C
m3

A-D
P4

A-E
P5

A-F
m6

A-G
m7

Notes (descending)
Interval

A-G
M2

A-F
M3

A-E
P4

A-D
P5

A-C
M6

A-B
m7

Abbreviations are used: M / m stands for major / minor and P stands for perfect.

The A Minor scale consists of seven notes. These can be described as intervals, as semi-notes or steps on the guitar fingerboard, written as 2 – 1 – 2 – 2 – 1 – 2 – 2 from the first note to the next octave.
The A Minor is relative to C Major. Both scales include the same notes but their tonal center differ.
The A Minor is identical with the A Aeolian mode.

Beneficial to learn this scale is to observe the note steps starting from the root: whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole, whole. The same formula applies for the whole neck.

These are the main chords built from the notes of this scale:

Chord
Notes
Chord
Notes
Chord
Notes

Am
A-C-E
Am7
A-C-E-G
Am9
A-C-E-G-B

Bdim
B-D-F
Bm7b5
B-D-F-A
 
 

C
C-E-G
Cmaj7
C-E-G-B
Cmaj9
C-E-G-B-D

Dm
D-F-A
Dm7
D-F-A-C
Dm9
D-F-A-C-E

Em
E-G-B
Em7
E-G-B-D
 
 

F
F-A-C
Fmaj7
F-A-C-E
Fmaj9
F-A-C-E-G

G
G-B-D
G7
G-B-D-F
G9
G-B-D-F-A

The tones in these chords correspond to the tones of the A Minor scale in which Am is the tonic triad and Am7 the tonic 7th chord.

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A Minor scale first shape ascending.

The numbers above the tablature are suggested fingerings.