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E minor hexatonic Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

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

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

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

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

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

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

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E 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:

E

I

F♯

II

G

bIII

A

IV

B

V

D♯

VII

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

tip
  • Hear E minor hexatonic as harmonic minor minus the flat 6th: the drama of the leading tone (D#) without the augmented-2nd gap.
  • Over a minor-major 7th chord, arpeggiate root, bIII (G), V, VII and use the 2nd (F#) and 4th (A) as connecting steps.
  • End phrases VII up to E; with no b6 (C) 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 E minor hexatonic on guitar

Open low E is the root and four more open strings land in the scale, so full-neck drones cost nothing here. Root at fret 0 puts the first shape on open strings, which lets you use the nut as a fret. Position work above that runs out at fret 4. Roots also sit at the 2nd fret on the D string and the 5th on the B, so shifting up keeps a target under the hand. Two sharps.

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