Scale · Natural Minor

A Natural Minor Scale

The A natural minor scale is the relative minor sound built on A — darker, more reflective than major, the foundation of countless rock, pop, and folk songs.

A Natural Minor
ABCDEFG
▶ Open in scale explorer

Notes in A Natural Minor

The A Natural Minor scale contains A — B — C — D — E — F — G. The interval pattern is the universal natural minor pattern, transposed to start on A.

How to use it

Open the interactive scale explorer above to see A Natural Minor on a piano keyboard, on a guitar fretboard, and to hear it played ascending or descending. The diatonic chord chips show the chords built from this scale.

Common uses

The A natural minor scale is the relative minor sound built on A — darker, more reflective than major, the foundation of countless rock, pop, and folk songs.

FAQs

What chords go with the A Natural Minor scale?

Open the scale explorer to see the seven diatonic chords built from this scale. Each chord chip plays back so you can hear the harmony.

How is A Natural Minor different from other scales on A?

The intervals between notes are different. A Natural Minor uses the natural minor interval pattern; switch to a different scale type in the explorer to hear how the same root sounds with major, minor, pentatonic, blues, and other patterns.

What's the relative key of A Natural Minor?

For major and minor scales, the relative is found three semitones away. A major and F# minor share the same notes; A minor and C major share the same notes.

Related on MusoKit

Full scale explorer19 scales, modes, pentatonics, exotic. Piano + guitar. Chord finderBuild any chord on piano, guitar, or ukulele. Circle of fifthsSee how A connects to other keys and chords.