A# Minor Guitar Scale
Guitar scale — fretboard diagram
A# Minor Scale — Notes and Intervals
The A# Minor scale, also known as the Aeolian mode or natural minor, is the standard for expressing melancholy, introspection, and drama. On Guitar, its notes are A#, C, C#, D#, F, F#, G#. Its sound is darker and more somber than the major scale, widely used in songwriting to evoke deep emotional narratives and serving as the foundation of traditional minor-key compositions. The diatonic chords of A# Minor are A#m7, Cm7b5, C#maj7, D#m7, Fm7, F#maj7, G#7. Commonly used in Rock, Pop, Metal, Classical, R&B. Notable players include Metallica, Adele, Beethoven. Use over minor triads, m7, m9 chords. Works across the entire minor key. Avoid over dominant chords that want a leading tone.
Notes: A#, C, C#, D#, F, F#, G#
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3m, 4P, 5P, 6m, 7m
Degrees: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7
Formula: W-H-W-W-H-W-W
Number of notes: 7
Also known as: aeolian
Diatonic Chords
A♯m7 — Cm7♭5 — C♯maj7 — D♯m7 — Fm7 — F♯maj7 — G♯7
How to Play A# Minor on Guitar
Place your index finger at fret 6 on the 6th (low E) to find your A# root note. Use a three-notes-per-string fingering to cover the full scale in one position, or learn the CAGED shapes to navigate the entire fretboard. An alternative starting point is 1st fret on the A string.
The A# Minor scale contains 5 sharps (A#, C#, D#, F#, G#). Its relative major is C# major, which shares the same key signature.
Practice Routine
Set a metronome to 80 BPM and play the A# Minor scale in groups of four notes, shifting the starting note each repetition. This builds muscle memory across the entire scale range. After a week, try improvising short 4-bar phrases using only these notes.
Try these progressions with the A# Minor scale: A#m7 - D#m7 - Fm7 - A#m7 (I-IV-V-I) or A#m7 - Cm7b5 - D#m7 - Fm7 for a more stepwise movement.
Guitar Tips
On guitar, practice the A# Minor scale on a single string from the open position to the 12th fret. This trains your ear to hear the intervals linearly and helps with slide guitar applications.
The A# Minor scale contains 7 notes (A#, C, C#, D#, F, F#, G#). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for A# Minor
The A# Minor 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 7-note scale, it also lends itself to 3-notes-per-string (3NPS) patterns that facilitate legato playing and diagonal shifting. Use the pattern selector above to isolate each position.
Explore A# Minor Further
- Harmonize the A# Minor scale — triads & 7th chords
- Browse chord progressions
- A# Minor on Ukulele
- A# Minor on Bass
- A# Minor on Piano
Explore A# Minor in Other Tunings
- A# Minor in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
- A# Minor in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
- A# Minor in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
- A# Minor in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
- A# Minor in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
- A# Minor in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
- A# Minor in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
- A# Minor in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
- A# Minor in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
- A# Minor in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
- A# Minor in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
- A# Minor in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
- A# Minor in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
- A# Minor in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)