E-shape Minor Scales

Minor scales are a bit more complicated than the major scale, because their sixth and seventh degrees are flexible, depending on harmonic and melodic context. See the introduction to Minor Scales for more information.

But in general, while it's common to present these as three different scales (natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor), in practice it's often more useful to think of one combined minor scale, and adjust it as needed.

Natural minor scale form

The natural minor is the foundation of all minor scales.

This is the natural minor scale around the E-shape minor chord. Compare it to the E-shape minor pentatonic, and notice the minor scale has a 2 and ♭6 that the pentatonic does not.

Those notes are each one fret (a half step, or semitone) away from a chord tone. Those are the two notes we have to use our ears to decide whether to play at any given time in a song. Sometimes they are the perfect sound for leading to the next chord, and sometimes they clash horribly.

That's why we drill the pentatonic shape into muscle memory, but need to play the minor scales more carefully when we improvise.

Combined minor scales

Instead of thinking of three different scales, it's more practical to think of the minor as a single scale, with the sixth and seventh degrees optionally raised a fret when the harmony or melody calls for it.

Study and practice

As always, when practicing scales we want to practice in a way that lands chord tones on downbeats.

This is the basic minor scale chord tone practice pattern, which accounts for the spacing of chord tones within the scale. Press play in the diagram to see and hear the pattern, followed by the arpeggio. Try playing it on repeat a few times to get the sound of the chord tones in your ears.