A Minor Blues Scale Charts
Explore A Minor Blues across the full guitar fretboard and 5 connected positions. Notes: A, C, D, D#, E, G. Intervals: 1, b3, 4, b5, 5, b7.
A Minor Blues full fretboard chart
A Minor Blues uses A, C, D, D#, E, G across frets 0-15.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 5E | b7G | RA | b3C | 4D | b5D# | 5E | b7G | ||||||||
| 2B | b3C | 4D | b5D# | 5E | b7G | RA | b3C | 4D | ||||||||
| 3G | b7G | RA | b3C | 4D | b5D# | 5E | b7G | RA | ||||||||
| 4D | 4D | b5D# | 5E | b7G | RA | b3C | 4D | b5D# | 5E | |||||||
| 5A | RA | b3C | 4D | b5D# | 5E | b7G | RA | b3C | ||||||||
| 6E | 5E | b7G | RA | b3C | 4D | b5D# | 5E | b7G | ||||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
String 1: E4 at fret 0 (5), G4 at fret 3 (b7), A4 at fret 5 (root), C5 at fret 8 (b3), D5 at fret 10 (4), D#5 at fret 11 (b5), E5 at fret 12 (5), G5 at fret 15 (b7).
String 2: C4 at fret 1 (b3), D4 at fret 3 (4), D#4 at fret 4 (b5), E4 at fret 5 (5), G4 at fret 8 (b7), A4 at fret 10 (root), C5 at fret 13 (b3), D5 at fret 15 (4).
String 3: G3 at fret 0 (b7), A3 at fret 2 (root), C4 at fret 5 (b3), D4 at fret 7 (4), D#4 at fret 8 (b5), E4 at fret 9 (5), G4 at fret 12 (b7), A4 at fret 14 (root).
String 4: D3 at fret 0 (4), D#3 at fret 1 (b5), E3 at fret 2 (5), G3 at fret 5 (b7), A3 at fret 7 (root), C4 at fret 10 (b3), D4 at fret 12 (4), D#4 at fret 13 (b5), E4 at fret 14 (5).
String 5: A2 at fret 0 (root), C3 at fret 3 (b3), D3 at fret 5 (4), D#3 at fret 6 (b5), E3 at fret 7 (5), G3 at fret 10 (b7), A3 at fret 12 (root), C4 at fret 15 (b3).
String 6: E2 at fret 0 (5), G2 at fret 3 (b7), A2 at fret 5 (root), C3 at fret 8 (b3), D3 at fret 10 (4), D#3 at fret 11 (b5), E3 at fret 12 (5), G3 at fret 15 (b7).
A Minor Blues Position 1 chart
Position 1 covers frets 5-8 for A Minor Blues.
| String | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | RA | b3C | ||
| 2B | 5E | b7G | ||
| 3G | b3C | 4D | b5D# | |
| 4D | b7G | RA | ||
| 5A | 4D | b5D# | 5E | |
| 6E | RA | b3C | ||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
String 1: A4 at fret 5 (root), C5 at fret 8 (b3).
String 2: E4 at fret 5 (5), G4 at fret 8 (b7).
String 3: C4 at fret 5 (b3), D4 at fret 7 (4), D#4 at fret 8 (b5).
String 4: G3 at fret 5 (b7), A3 at fret 7 (root).
String 5: D3 at fret 5 (4), D#3 at fret 6 (b5), E3 at fret 7 (5).
String 6: A2 at fret 5 (root), C3 at fret 8 (b3).
A Minor Blues Position 2 chart
Position 2 covers frets 2-5 for A Minor Blues.
| String | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b7G | RA | ||
| 2B | 4D | b5D# | 5E | |
| 3G | RA | b3C | ||
| 4D | 5E | b7G | ||
| 5A | b3C | 4D | ||
| 6E | b7G | RA | ||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
String 1: G4 at fret 3 (b7), A4 at fret 5 (root).
String 2: D4 at fret 3 (4), D#4 at fret 4 (b5), E4 at fret 5 (5).
String 3: A3 at fret 2 (root), C4 at fret 5 (b3).
String 4: E3 at fret 2 (5), G3 at fret 5 (b7).
String 5: C3 at fret 3 (b3), D3 at fret 5 (4).
String 6: G2 at fret 3 (b7), A2 at fret 5 (root).
A Minor Blues Position 3 chart
Position 3 covers frets 12-15 for A Minor Blues.
| String | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 5E | b7G | ||
| 2B | b3C | 4D | ||
| 3G | b7G | RA | ||
| 4D | 4D | b5D# | 5E | |
| 5A | RA | b3C | ||
| 6E | 5E | b7G | ||
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
String 1: E5 at fret 12 (5), G5 at fret 15 (b7).
String 2: C5 at fret 13 (b3), D5 at fret 15 (4).
String 3: G4 at fret 12 (b7), A4 at fret 14 (root).
String 4: D4 at fret 12 (4), D#4 at fret 13 (b5), E4 at fret 14 (5).
String 5: A3 at fret 12 (root), C4 at fret 15 (b3).
String 6: E3 at fret 12 (5), G3 at fret 15 (b7).
A Minor Blues Position 4 chart
Position 4 covers frets 9-12 for A Minor Blues.
| String | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 4D | b5D# | 5E | ||
| 2B | RA | b3C | |||
| 3G | 5E | b7G | |||
| 4D | b3C | 4D | |||
| 5A | b7G | RA | |||
| 6E | 4D | b5D# | 5E | ||
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
String 1: D5 at fret 10 (4), D#5 at fret 11 (b5), E5 at fret 12 (5).
String 2: A4 at fret 10 (root), C5 at fret 13 (b3).
String 3: E4 at fret 9 (5), G4 at fret 12 (b7).
String 4: C4 at fret 10 (b3), D4 at fret 12 (4).
String 5: G3 at fret 10 (b7), A3 at fret 12 (root).
String 6: D3 at fret 10 (4), D#3 at fret 11 (b5), E3 at fret 12 (5).
A Minor Blues Position 5 chart
Position 5 covers frets 7-10 for A Minor Blues.
| String | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | b3C | 4D | ||
| 2B | b7G | RA | ||
| 3G | 4D | b5D# | 5E | |
| 4D | RA | b3C | ||
| 5A | 5E | b7G | ||
| 6E | b3C | 4D | ||
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
String 1: C5 at fret 8 (b3), D5 at fret 10 (4).
String 2: G4 at fret 8 (b7), A4 at fret 10 (root).
String 3: D4 at fret 7 (4), D#4 at fret 8 (b5), E4 at fret 9 (5).
String 4: A3 at fret 7 (root), C4 at fret 10 (b3).
String 5: E3 at fret 7 (5), G3 at fret 10 (b7).
String 6: C3 at fret 8 (b3), D3 at fret 10 (4).
Minor Blues scale essentials
- Interval formula
- 1 · b3 · 4 · b5 · 5 · b7
- Characteristic tones
- b5
Practice the A Minor Blues sound
- Say and play the scale: Play A → C → D → D# → E → G → A up and back down, naming the degrees 1 → b3 → 4 → b5 → 5 → b7 → 1 as you go.
- Hear its defining tones: pause on D# (b5) before landing on A. Listen for how those characteristic tones color the phrase.
- Connect the positions: Work through all 5 position charts. Start in Position 1 (frets 5–8), then repeat a short phrase from the root in each shape. Use the full fretboard chart to find the next A as you move between positions.
Continue with this scale
Take Minor Blues into the matching course and practice resources.