A# Minor Six Pentatonic Bass Scale
Bass scale — fretboard diagramIntermediate
A# Minor Six Pentatonic Scale — Notes and Intervals
The A# Minor Six Pentatonic scale is a variation of the minor pentatonic that introduces a major sixth, giving it a Dorian flavor. On Bass, the notes are A#, C#, D#, F, G. It is more sophisticated and soulful than the standard minor pentatonic and is frequently used in jazz and fusion to outline minor chords with a brighter edge. Commonly used in Jazz, Fusion, Neo-Soul, R&B. Notable players include Wes Montgomery, George Benson, Erykah Badu. Use over m6, m7, mMaj7 chords. Adds a jazz sophistication to minor chord soloing without fully committing to a 7-note scale.
Notes: A#, C#, D#, F, G
Intervals: 1P, 3m, 4P, 5P, 6M
Degrees: 1 b2 3 4 5
Formula: WH-W-W-W-WH
Number of notes: 5
Musical Character
By replacing the b7 of the minor pentatonic with a natural 6th, this scale gains a Dorian flavor — brighter and more sophisticated than standard minor pentatonic.
Genres & Notable Artists
Genres: Jazz, Fusion, Neo-Soul, R&B
Notable players: Wes Montgomery, George Benson, Erykah Badu
How to Use the A# Minor Six Pentatonic Scale
Use over m6, m7, mMaj7 chords. Adds a jazz sophistication to minor chord soloing without fully committing to a 7-note scale.
Origin & Background
A jazz pentatonic derived from the Dorian mode, emphasizing the characteristic natural 6th.
How to Play A# Minor Six Pentatonic on Bass
On bass, locate A# on the A string at fret 1. This 5-note scale can be played across two strings without shifting, making it ideal for groove-based lines.
The A# Minor Six Pentatonic scale contains 3 sharps (A#, C#, D#). This scale does not follow a traditional major or minor key signature, so reading from sheet music may require accidentals.
Practice Routine
Begin by playing the A# Minor Six Pentatonic scale ascending and descending at 80 BPM using a metronome, one note per beat. Once comfortable, practice in thirds (A#-D#, C#-F) to build intervallic familiarity. Spend 5 minutes daily on this pattern before increasing tempo by 10 BPM.
This scale works well over simple power chord progressions or a 12-bar blues in A#. Try a A#5 - F5 - G5 progression. This scale is especially effective in fusion contexts.
Bass Tips
On bass, use the A# Minor Six Pentatonic scale to build walking bass lines by targeting chord tones on strong beats and using scale tones as approach notes. This is the foundation of functional bass playing. Aim for a soulful quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.
Related Scales
Minor Six Pentatonic is the Dorian-flavored pentatonic subset. View A# Dorian scale
The A# Minor Six Pentatonic scale contains 5 notes (A#, C#, D#, F, G). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Bass with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for A# Minor Six Pentatonic
The A# Minor Six Pentatonic scale can be played in 5 CAGED positions across the fretboard, each based on an open chord shape (C, A, G, E, D). As a 5-note pentatonic scale, 2-notes-per-string patterns are the most ergonomic way to traverse the fretboard. Use the pattern selector above to isolate each position.