The notes of the C Minor Scale are C, D, D#, F, G, G#, A#.

The Chords in the C Minor scale are:

MinorDimMajorMinorMinorMajorMajor
iiidimIIIivvVIVII
CDdimD#FmGmG#A#

C Minor Scale – All Across the Neck

C Minor Scale

You should know where you can play the C Minor scale on your guitar. I have highlighted the 5 positions below where you could play it. Please note that some of these patterns will repeat beyond the 12th fret. Start each scale on the root note.

C Minor Scale – Position 1

C Minor Poisition 1
C Minor Scale – Position 1

C Minor Scale – Position 2

C Minor Poisition 2
C Minor Scale – Position 2

C Minor Scale – Position 3

C Minor Poisition 3
C Minor Scale – Position 3

C Minor Scale – Position 4

C Minor Poisition 4
C Minor Scale – Position 4

C Minor Scale – Position 5

C Minor Poisition 5
C Minor Scale – Position 5

Try the following when playing this scale:

Use a metronome – start very slowly.
Play cleanly – Focus on fingering every note cleanly.
Alternate pick – Alternate between up and down. Play quarter notes and then eighth notes.
Down pick all notes – Play quarter notes and then eighth notes.
Triplets – Alternate pick 3 notes for each beat.
16th notes – Alternate pick 4 notes for each beat.
Fingerpick – Use just your fingers to pick. Thumb plays the top 3 strings, Index, Middle and Ring fingers play the bottom strings respectively. Thumb, index, middle and ring are usually indicated by the initials P, I, M, A.
Alternate Fingerpick – Alternate Index & Middle fingers to play each note of the scale.
Use hammer on’s and pull off’s – Can you play each one without picking?
Speed up – As you feel more comfortable, try to increase the metronome speed.
Turn off metronome – Play the exercises but name each note that you play (without looking at the diagrams). Go as slow as you like.
Name the notes – Play exercises and name only the root notes (without looking at the diagrams).
Different positions – Do all the exercises and picking variations for each position.

Explore More

Harmonic Minor Scale

Harmonic Minor Scale 4 Notes Per StringStart on the First Fret and move up until you run out of fretsE------------------------------------------------12-13-16-17--B-------------------------------------9-11-13-15--------------G---------------------------7-9-10-12-------------------------D------------------5-6-8-10-----------------------------------A----------3-5-7-8--------------------------------------------E--1-3-4-6----------------------------------------------------E--17-16-13-12------------------------------------------------B--------------15-13-11-9-------------------------------------G-------------------------12-10-9-7---------------------------D-----------------------------------10-8-6-5------------------A--------------------------------------------8-7-5-3----------E----------------------------------------------------6-4-3-1--Start on the First Fret and move up until you run

Other Scales

I’ve included some other scales for reference. The following diagrams are all in the key of A (unless otherwise noted). Acoustic Scale Altered Dominant Scale Asavari Scale – G Blues

Country Scale

Position 1E------------------------------------------4-5-7-8--B------------------------------------5-7-8----------G--------------------------4-5-6-7-8----------------D------------------4-5-6-7--------------------------A----------4-5-6-7----------------------------------E--4-5-7-8------------------------------------------E--8-7-5-4------------------------------------------B----------8-7-5------------------------------------G----------------8-7-6-5-4--------------------------D--------------------------7-6-5-4------------------A----------------------------------7-6-5-4----------E------------------------------------------8-7-5-4--Position 2E-----------------------------------------------7-8-9-10--B--------------------------------------7-8-9-10-----------G------------------------------6-7-8-9--------------------D---------------------6-7-9-10----------------------------A--------------7-9-10-------------------------------------E--7-8-9-10-11--------------------------------------------E--10-9-8-7-----------------------------------------------B-----------10-9-8-7--------------------------------------G--------------------9-8-7-6------------------------------D----------------------------10-9-7-6---------------------A-------------------------------------10-9-7--------------E--------------------------------------------11-10-9-8-7--Position 3E-----------------------------------------------7-8-9-10-11--B--------------------------------------7-8-9-10--------------G------------------------------6-7-8-9-----------------------D---------------------6-7-9-10-------------------------------A--------------7-9-10----------------------------------------E--7-8-9-10-11-----------------------------------------------E--11-10-9-8-7-----------------------------------------------B--------------10-9-8-7--------------------------------------G-----------------------9-8-7-6------------------------------D-------------------------------10-9-7-6---------------------A----------------------------------------10-9-7--------------E-----------------------------------------------11-10-9-8-7--Position 4E--------------------------------------------------------------12-14-15--B-----------------------------------------------12-13-14-15-16-----------G-----------------------------------11-12-13-14--------------------------D-----------------------11-12-13-14--------------------------------------A-----------11-12-14-15--------------------------------------------------E--12-14-15--------------------------------------------------------------E--15-14-12--------------------------------------------------------------B-----------16-15-14-13-12-----------------------------------------------G--------------------------14-13-12-11-----------------------------------D--------------------------------------14-13-12-11-----------------------A--------------------------------------------------15-14-12-11-----------E--------------------------------------------------------------15-14-12--Position 5E------------------------------------------2-3-4-5--B----------------------------------2-3-4-5----------G----------------------------2-4-5------------------D--------------------2-4-5-6------------------------A----------2-3-4-5-6--------------------------------E--2-3-4-5------------------------------------------E--5-4-3-2------------------------------------------B----------5-4-3-2----------------------------------G------------------5-4-2----------------------------D------------------------6-5-4-2--------------------A--------------------------------6-5-4-3-2----------E------------------------------------------5-4-3-2--