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B minor six diminished Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, F#, G, G#, A#, B, C#, D, E at frets 0, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12

A string: A#, B, C#, D, E, F#, G, G# at frets 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11

D string: D, E, F#, G, G#, A#, B, C#, D at frets 0, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12

G string: G, G#, A#, B, C#, D, E, F#, G at frets 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12

B string: B, C#, D, E, F#, G, G#, A#, B at frets 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12

High E string: E, F#, G, G#, A#, B, C#, D, E at frets 0, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12

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B minor six diminished

The minor six diminished scale is Barry Harris's minor sixth diminished scale: a minor 6th chord and a diminished 7th chord interleaved, eight notes alternating chord and tension. Run it and every other note forms the m6 chord, the engine of his harmonic system. It turns a static minor chord into continuous internal motion.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

B

I

C♯

II

D

bIII

E

IV

F♯

V

G

bVI

G♯

VI

A♯

VII

minor six diminished in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • This is Barry Harris's minor sixth diminished scale: alternate the Bm6 chord tones with the diminished tones as you climb, chord-tone on the beat.
  • Harmonize every scale step as either the m6 chord or the diminished 7th; that alternation is instant movement over a static minor chord.
  • Use both 6ths deliberately: natural 6th (G#) belongs to the m6 sound, flat 6th (G) to the diminished layer passing between V and VI.
  • Over a minor ii-V-i in B minor, this single scale supplies voice-led chords for the whole bar of tonic minor.

How to play B minor six diminished on guitar

Open B is a root, so the middle of an open chord already sits in the key. Both E strings give the fourth, open D the minor third, open G the minor sixth. Roots on both E strings sit at 7, which puts the barre mid-neck. Capo at 2 reads as A minor six diminished. Fret 11 hands off to the next position, so the first shape stops below the octave.

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