About the A#/Bb Natural Minor Scale
The A#/Bb natural minor scale is a 7-note scale. Also known as Aeolian mode, sad and dark sound. Its notes are A#, C, C#, D#, F, F# and G#, built from the formula 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7.
- Notes
- A# – C – C# – D# – F – F# – G#
- Formula
- 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7
- Steps
- W H W W H W W (2–1–2–2–1–2–2 semitones)
- Root
- A#/Bb
A#/Bb Natural Minor Scale degrees and intervals
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A# | Root |
| 2 | C | Major 2nd |
| ♭3 | C# | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | D# | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | F | Perfect 5th |
| ♭6 | F# | Minor 6th |
| ♭7 | G# | Minor 7th |
Where to play the A#/Bb Natural Minor Scale on guitar
Frets 0–12 in standard tuning (E A D G B E), lowest string first. Root notes (A#) are highlighted; the pattern repeats from the 12th fret up.
| String | Frets |
|---|---|
| E2 | 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11 |
| A2 | 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11 |
| D3 | 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11 |
| G3 | 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11 |
| B3 | 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11 |
| E4 | 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11 |
How to practice the natural minor scale
- Learn all 7 positions across the neck
- Practice 3-note-per-string patterns
- Work on legato runs with hammer-ons
- Play over minor progressions (i-iv-v)
- Focus on the ♭6 and ♭7 characteristic tones
Scales with the same notes as A#/Bb Natural Minor Scale
These scales share every note with the A#/Bb natural minor scale but start from a different root, so the same shapes work over different chords.
Natural Minor scale in other keys
Other scales in A#/Bb
- A#/Bb Minor Pentatonic
- A#/Bb Major Pentatonic
- A#/Bb Mixolydian Pentatonic
- A#/Bb Major (Ionian)
- A#/Bb Blues
- A#/Bb Dorian
- A#/Bb Mixolydian
- A#/Bb Phrygian
- A#/Bb Harmonic Minor
- A#/Bb Lydian
- A#/Bb Locrian
- A#/Bb Diminished (Half-Whole)
- A#/Bb Diminished (Whole-Half)
- A#/Bb Whole Tone
- A#/Bb Augmented (Hexatonic)
- A#/Bb Altered (Super Locrian)
- A#/Bb Phrygian Dominant
- A#/Bb Lydian Dominant
- A#/Bb Mixolydian ♭6 (Hindu)
- A#/Bb Bebop Dominant
- A#/Bb Quartal (Stacked 4ths)
- A#/Bb Quartal Minor (Stacked 4ths)