A Minor Scale
The A minor scale has seven notes: A, B, C, D, E, F and G. It has no sharps or flats, and it is the relative minor of C major.
Notes
- A1
- B2
- C♭3
- D4
- E5
- F♭6
- G♭7
Step pattern: W – H – W – W – H – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step)
| Degree | Note | Interval from A |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | Root |
| 2 | B | Major 2nd |
| ♭3 | C | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | D | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | E | Perfect 5th |
| ♭6 | F | Minor 6th |
| ♭7 | G | Minor 7th |
On the piano
On the guitar
Root Scale tone
Key signature
A minor has no sharps or flats — only white keys on the piano. See it on the circle of fifths →
Chords in the key of A minor
| Numeral | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| i | Am | Am7 |
| ii° | Bdim | Bm7♭5 |
| III | C | Cmaj7 |
| iv | Dm | Dm7 |
| v | Em | Em7 |
| VI | F | Fmaj7 |
| VII | G | G7 |
Common progressions
- Classic minorAm – Dm – Emi – iv – v
- Epic / pop minorAm – F – C – Gi – VI – III – VII
- DescendingAm – G – F – Emi – VII – VI – v
Related scales
Practise it
- Alternate picking on one stringTechnique · already in this key
- Palm-muted gallopMetal · moved up 5 frets into A
Explore it on the full fretboard · Piano scale explorer · Metronome