C Minor Guitar Scale
Guitar scale in 8-string tuning — fretboard diagram
C Minor in 8-string — Notes and Intervals
The C Minor scale, also known as the Aeolian mode or natural minor, is the standard for expressing melancholy, introspection, and drama. On Guitar, its notes are C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb. Its sound is darker and more somber than the major scale, widely used in songwriting to evoke deep emotional narratives and serving as the foundation of traditional minor-key compositions. The diatonic chords of C Minor are Cm7, Dm7b5, Ebmaj7, Fm7, Gm7, Abmaj7, Bb7. Commonly used in Rock, Pop, Metal, Classical, R&B. Notable players include Metallica, Adele, Beethoven. Use over minor triads, m7, m9 chords. Works across the entire minor key. Avoid over dominant chords that want a leading tone.
Notes: C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3m, 4P, 5P, 6m, 7m
Degrees: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7
Formula: W-H-W-W-H-W-W
Number of notes: 7
Tuning: 8-string (F#-B-E-A-D-G-B-E)
Also known as: aeolian
Diatonic Chords
Cm7 — Dm7♭5 — E♭maj7 — Fm7 — Gm7 — A♭maj7 — B♭7
About 8-string Tuning
The 8-string guitar adds both a low B and a low F# string (F#-B-E-A-D-G-B-E), pushing the instrument's range almost into bass guitar territory. This massive tonal range has become the weapon of choice for djent, progressive metal, and experimental composers who need bone-crushing low-end and soaring highs in a single instrument.
With artists like Tosin Abasi, Meshuggah, and After the Burial leading the charge, the 8-string guitar has redefined what's possible in modern heavy music. The low F# string delivers subsonic heaviness that you can feel in your chest, while the upper strings maintain standard guitar voicings for leads and clean passages. Extended-range compositions often exploit the full span of the instrument, creating a wall of sound that covers bass, rhythm, and lead guitar roles simultaneously.
Notable artists: Meshuggah, Animals as Leaders, After the Burial, Intervals, Monuments
Best for: Djent polyrhythms, extended-range metal riffs, experimental compositions, and one-instrument arrangements spanning bass to lead
Musical Character
The relative minor of any major key shares the same notes but starts on the 6th degree, allowing composers to shift mood without changing key signature.
Chord Progressions Using This Scale
- i – VI – III – VII (Cinematic Minor)Contemporary / Film — Dramatic & Dark