G minor scale on guitar
The G minor scale has seven notes: G, A, B♭, C, D, E♭ and F (1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7). The plain minor scale: the minor pentatonic with the 2nd and ♭6 filled in. Sad or serious, and the home of minor-key rock and metal, over changes like Am, F and G.
| Note | G | A | B♭ | C | D | E♭ | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | 1 (root) | 2 | ♭3 | 4 | 5 | ♭6 | ♭7 |
| Step to the next | whole | half | whole | whole | half | whole | whole |
5 positions to learn it in
On guitar a seven-note scale is learnt in five shapes, each built round one of the open chord shapes C, A, G, E and D. Together they cover the neck. Press Play to hear each one, up and back down.
Chords that go with the G minor scale
The chords on each note of the scale that use only its notes. Play over any of them and every note fits; G (Gm) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (G) | Gmhome | Gm7home |
| 2 (A) | Adimthe edge | Am7♭5the edge |
| ♭3 (B♭) | B♭daylight | B♭maj7daylight |
| 4 (C) | Cmsoft fall | Cm7soft fall |
| 5 (D) | Dmsoft fall | Dm7soft fall |
| ♭6 (E♭) | E♭cinematic | E♭maj7cinematic |
| ♭7 (F) | Fheroic | F7heroic |
Scales with the same notes
Its relative major is the B♭ major scale: the same notes, started from B♭.
The chords of this key, to hear and play: chords in the key of G minor.
Questions
What notes are in the G minor scale?
G, A, B♭, C, D, E♭ and F. Its intervals from the root are 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7, and the steps between its notes are W H W W H W W (W a whole step, H a half step).
What chords go with the G minor scale?
The chords made only of its notes: Gm, Adim, B♭, Cm, Dm, E♭ and F, and as seventh chords Gm7, Am7♭5, B♭maj7, Cm7, Dm7, E♭maj7 and F7. G is home: Gm is the chord it sounds most settled over.
What is the relative major of the G minor scale?
The B♭ major scale, which has the same notes started from B♭.
The minor scale in every key
Other scales in G
G majorG minor pentatonicG major pentatonicG bluesG DorianG MixolydianG LydianG PhrygianG harmonic minorG melodic minorG Phrygian dominant
Practise it on a sheet of your own in the practice sheet maker, with a metronome and a drone. Every scale: guitar scales. This scale on bass, ukulele, mandolin and banjo.