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A minor hexatonic Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, G#, A, B, C, D, E at frets 0, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12

A string: A, B, C, D, E, G#, A at frets 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 12

D string: D, E, G#, A, B, C, D at frets 0, 2, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12

G string: G#, A, B, C, D, E at frets 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9

B string: B, C, D, E, G#, A, B at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 9, 10, 12

High E string: E, G#, A, B, C, D, E at frets 0, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12

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A minor hexatonic

The minor hexatonic is a six note scale: root, 2nd, flat 3rd, 4th, 5th, major 7th. It is harmonic minor with the flat 6th omitted, keeping the dramatic leading tone while removing the scale's most dissonant rub. The result is a clean minor sound with a strong pull home, handy over minor and minor-major 7th chords alike.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

A

I

B

II

C

bIII

D

IV

E

V

G♯

VII

minor hexatonic in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • Hear A minor hexatonic as harmonic minor minus the flat 6th: the drama of the leading tone (G#) without the augmented-2nd gap.
  • Over a minor-major 7th chord, arpeggiate root, bIII (C), V, VII and use the 2nd (B) and 4th (D) as connecting steps.
  • End phrases VII up to A; with no b6 (F) in the way, the resolution sounds clean rather than exotic.
  • Use it when natural minor feels too soft and harmonic minor too Spanish; six notes split the difference.

How to play A minor hexatonic on guitar

Five open strings land in A minor hexatonic, all but the G, so you can strum across the neck and stay inside the key. Open A is the root, which means the lowest anchor takes no finger at all. Both E strings give the fifth. Roots on fretted ground start at the 2nd fret of the G string, then the 5th on the low E, which lets you move a shape without hunting. Boxes tied to that fret 5 root end at fret 9.

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