B Minor Hexatonic Guitar Scale
Guitar scale — fretboard diagram
B Minor Hexatonic Scale — Notes and Intervals
The B Minor Hexatonic scale is a six-note scale that bridges the gap between the minor pentatonic and full modal scales. On Guitar, it contains the notes B, C#, D, E, F#, A#. It has a soulful, minor character but offers more melodic flexibility, making it a common choice for blues and jazz-rock soloing. Commonly used in Blues, Jazz-Rock, R&B, Soul. Notable players include B.B. King, Albert King, John Mayer. Use over m7 chords and blues changes. More flexible than minor pentatonic but less complex than full Dorian.
Notes: B, C#, D, E, F#, A#
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3m, 4P, 5P, 7M
Degrees: 1 2 b3 4 5 6
Formula: W-H-W-W-4-H
Number of notes: 6
How to Play B Minor Hexatonic on Guitar
Place your index finger at fret 7 on the 6th (low E) to find your B 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 2nd fret on the A string.
The B Minor Hexatonic scale contains 3 sharps (C#, F#, A#). 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 B Minor Hexatonic scale ascending and descending at 80 BPM using a metronome, one note per beat. Once comfortable, practice in thirds (B-D, C#-E) to build intervallic familiarity. Spend 5 minutes daily on this pattern before increasing tempo by 10 BPM.
Experiment with simple two-chord vamps rooted on B to let the characteristic intervals of the Minor Hexatonic scale come through clearly.
Guitar Tips
Use hybrid picking (pick + fingers) when playing the B Minor Hexatonic scale on guitar to access wider intervals and string skips that a pick alone cannot handle efficiently.
The B Minor Hexatonic scale contains 6 notes (B, C#, D, E, F#, A#). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for B Minor Hexatonic
The B Minor Hexatonic 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 6-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.
Explore B Minor Hexatonic Further
- Harmonize the B Minor Hexatonic scale — triads & 7th chords
- Browse chord progressions
- B Minor Hexatonic on Ukulele
- B Minor Hexatonic on Bass
- B Minor Hexatonic on Piano
Explore B Minor Hexatonic in Other Tunings
- B Minor Hexatonic in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
- B Minor Hexatonic in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
- B Minor Hexatonic in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
- B Minor Hexatonic in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
- B Minor Hexatonic in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
- B Minor Hexatonic in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
- B Minor Hexatonic in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
- B Minor Hexatonic in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
- B Minor Hexatonic in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
- B Minor Hexatonic in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
- B Minor Hexatonic in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
- B Minor Hexatonic in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
- B Minor Hexatonic in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
- B Minor Hexatonic in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)