Minor Scale Guitar Chart

Click here for an interactive chart that will allow you to see and play minor scales up and down the guitar neck. Clicking a dot on the chart with your mouse will take you to that note position. You can sweep through the notes by using the sweep button or your keyboard. Alternatively, use your computer keyboard to find the notes and sweep them across the fretboard.

Scale tones is shown as clickable dots on the fretboard. A dot represents a note on a particular fret and string. When a dot is clicked it will play the pitch and highlight the note. Root notes is highlighted in a different color to help you find your bearings.

How to Use the Guitar Scale Chart

Below the chart, you’ll find a control to toggle the dot labels between note names and scale degrees. This allows you to easily move from understanding interval relationships to learning note placement.

To establish a hand position, a translucent box sit atop the fretboard. Use the left and right arrow keys or the position buttons along the side of the screen to shift the window into one of three primary positions. The first position is over the open strings and nut. The second position is over the middle of the neck, from about fret five through eight. The third position is at the octave end, about frets nine through twelve. Outside that area are dimmed dots, reducing the visual clutter as you slide the box into place.

To change the key of the scale simply pick another tonic note from the dropdown list. The options include C, D, E, F, G, and A minor. There is an option to select one of three forms of scale too. Natural minor gives you a plain old Aeolian sound. Harmonic minor lifts the seventh degree up for a more classical ending. Melodic ascending lifts the sixth and seventh degrees up. Altering any of these will immediately update the labels and dot position.

The sweep button plays all the visible notes in order. All of the notes that are visible on screen will be played in order, one after another. By default, the pattern starts with the lowest note and moves upwards (highest pitch). To switch direction, simply click on the toggle next to the button. Using the speed control, you can set how long a gap there is between each note. On the slow setting you can get a mental picture of where the patterns sit. On the fast setting you build muscle memory and flow.

Adjust the output level using the volume slider to suit your taste. When you tap on the dampen button it will stop whatever notes is being played and return the widget to the active state. That’s useful when you wish to hold one of the notes and then just play that again.

The help panel can be expanded to display a quick reference of the scale theory and keyboard shortcuts. The fullscreen button extends the size of the widget to take up your whole screen. This gives you more space to view what’s going on.

Navigation is fast and easy with a few keyboard short cuts. If you want to sweep through what’s in view, just hit the space bar. To reverse the sweep direction, hit the R key. Use the right and left arrow keys to move the focus box from one position to another. This means that you never have to take your hands off the keyboard as you explore up and down the neck. By combining the actions, you can drill out sections of interest quickly and easily.

For example, try beginning on the natural minor in A minor. This key is popular with new players. It employs lots of open string. When you place the position box higher up the neck, listen out for the root notes. Observe that the pattern changes according to the shape of the fretboard. When confident with fingerings for the intervals, switch the labels from scale degrees to note names. This will help cement both where your fingers need to be and which pitch they are playing.

Explore the melodies and harmonies for their impact. You will notice new tensions and resolutions that result from the raised notes. Use the slow sweep speed to internalize the unique intervals of each form. Between attempts, dampen the strings to keep your ear fresh. Visual feedback allows you to make the connection between what is heard and where it’s located on the neck.

When you are working through any of these positions, take time over it. Don’t rush. Concentrate on one key at a time then move onto the next. It’s great to be able to use this as a way of connecting the learning from theory into practical application. Everything is instant and interactive giving you both visual and audible results. You should of began to play around with it today and hear what those minor scales sound like on the guitar.