STRINGSCALES

C minor six diminished Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: F, G, Ab, A, B, C, D, Eb at frets 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11

A string: A, B, C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, A at frets 0, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12

D string: D, Eb, F, G, Ab, A, B, C, D at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12

G string: G, Ab, A, B, C, D, Eb, F, G at frets 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12

B string: B, C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, A, B at frets 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12

High E string: F, G, Ab, A, B, C, D, Eb at frets 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11

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C 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:

C

I

D

II

E♭

bIII

F

IV

G

V

A♭

bVI

A

VI

B

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 Cm6 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 (A) belongs to the m6 sound, flat 6th (Ab) to the diminished layer passing between V and VI.
  • Over a minor ii-V-i in C minor, this single scale supplies voice-led chords for the whole bar of tonic minor.

How to play C minor six diminished on guitar

Four open strings land in the key, A as the sixth, D the second, G the fifth and B the seventh, so the middle of the guitar can ring while you fret above it. Roots wait at 8 on both E strings. Fret 1 on the B string is the closest root to the nut, which lets a phrase start low and climb without a shift. Barre grips fall at 3 and 8. Fret 12 closes the root-anchored box, so the move up lands right at the octave marker.

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