Box 1
CAGED Position 1 (Em shape)
Frets 4–7
When to use it: The Em-shape position. Its root lines up with an Em-shape barre chord, so it is the natural place to solo when the progression is rooted on the 6th string.
Natural Minor (Aeolian) · also called Aeolian
A♭ Natural Minor Scale
The sad one. Same seven notes as its relative major, started three semitones lower.
- Notes
- A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F♭ G♭
- Formula
- 1 · 2 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · ♭6 · ♭7
- Sound
- dark, wistful
- Guitar positions
- 5
The patterns on guitar
5 fretboard positions in standard tuning, low string on the left. Every dot is a note of the scale and the number inside it is the scale degree, so you can see the shape and the theory at once.
root notescale notenumbers inside the dots are scale degrees
Box 2
CAGED Position 2 (Dm shape)
Frets 7–10
When to use it: The Dm-shape position. A connector more than a destination — use it to travel between the Em and Cm shapes.
Box 3
CAGED Position 3 (Cm shape)
Frets 9–12
When to use it: The Cm-shape position, root on the 5th string. Sits well for melodic playing in the middle of the neck.
Box 4
CAGED Position 4 (Am shape)
Frets 11–14
When to use it: The Am-shape position. Lines up with Am-shape barre chords — the second-most useful shape after the Em.
Box 5
CAGED Position 5 (Gm shape)
Frets 2–5
When to use it: The Gm-shape position. The biggest stretch of the five; learn it last, use it to close the loop up the neck.
The notes
7 notes, built off Ab with the formula 1 · 2 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · ♭6 · ♭7. Flatten the 3rd, 6th and 7th of a major scale and you get natural minor. It shares a key signature with its relative major, which is why the two feel like the same room lit differently.
Tap any note to hear it on its own.
Chords built from this scale
Stack every other note of the scale and you get its seven diatonic chords. These are the chords that sound at home over this scale — a progression made only of these will never leave the key.
| Degree | Chord | Notes | Seventh | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | A♭m | A♭ C♭ E♭ | A♭m7 | tonic — everything resolves here |
| ii° | B♭dim | B♭ D♭ F♭ | B♭m7♭5 | supertonic — unstable; usually passes straight to the dominant |
| III | C♭ | C♭ E♭ G♭ | C♭maj7 | mediant — relative-major colour |
| iv | D♭m | D♭ F♭ A♭ | D♭m7 | subdominant — the wistful, minor version of the lift away |
| v | E♭m | E♭ G♭ B♭ | E♭m7 | dominant — a softer, modal pull home |
| VI | F♭ | F♭ A♭ C♭ | F♭maj7 | submediant — the relative major's home |
| VII | G♭ | G♭ B♭ D♭ | G♭7 | subtonic — a whole step below home, no pull |
Common questions
What notes are in the Ab Natural Minor Scale?
The Ab natural minor scale has 7 notes: Ab, Bb, Cb, Db, Eb, Fb, Gb. The interval formula is 1–2–♭3–4–5–♭6–♭7, counted up from Ab.
What chords are in the Ab Natural Minor Scale?
The Ab natural minor scale builds seven diatonic chords: i Abm, ii° Bbdim, III Cb, iv Dbm, v Ebm, VI Fb, VII Gb.
Where do I start on guitar?
Start with CAGED Position 1 (Em shape) at fret 4. The Em-shape position. Its root lines up with an Em-shape barre chord, so it is the natural place to solo when the progression is rooted on the 6th string.
Is the Ab Natural Minor Scale the same as the B Major Scale?
They use exactly the same notes — Ab, Bb, Cb, Db, Eb, Fb, Gb — but resolve to different home notes. Play the pattern thinking Ab and you hear the Ab natural minor scale; think B and the same shape becomes the B major scale.
Learn the theory behind it
The patterns above get your fingers moving. These explain what the notes are actually doing, so you can use the scale instead of just running it.