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The Neapolitan Minor Scale - Guitar Neck Diagrams And Formula Charts

The Neapolitan minor scale is a type of minor scale characterized by its distinctive flattened second degree (♭2) and raised seventh degree (7).

It is similar to the harmonic minor scale, but the second degree is lowered by a half step.

It is also related to the Neapolitan major scale, which has a major third instead of a minor third.

Formula Chart & Interval Formula

Here is the interval formula : 1 (tonic), b2 (minor second), b3 (minor third), 4 (perfect fourth), 5 (perfect fifth), b6 (minor sixth), 7 (major seventh).

It can also be seen as the Phrygian mode with a raised seventh making it a Phrygian harmonic minor Scale.

The main features of the Neapolitan minor scale is the minor second above the tonic and the minor third interval between the sixth and seventh scale degree.

C Neapolitan Minor Scale C Db Eb F G Ab B
Formula 1 b2 (b9) b3 4 (11) 5 b6 (b13) 7
Intervals H W W W H H+W H

 

Comparison With Neapolitan Major 

Notice that there are two Neapolitan scales, one major and one minor.

Here are two guitar diagrams showing the difference between them.

The Neapolitan minor has a minor sixth (b6) whereas the Neapolitan major scale has a major sixth (6).

The latter being in fact the melodic minor scale with a lowered second (b2).

 

Neapolitan minor versus neapolitan major scale

Comparison With Harmonic Minor Scale

With this second comparison we may conclude that the Neapolitan minor scale is actually the harmonic minor scale but with a lowered second (b2).

Neapolitan minor versus harmonic minor

Related Chords

The chord tones of the Neapolitan minor scale are : tonic (1), minor third (b3), perfect fifth (5) and major seventh (7).

Meaning that it can basically be employed over minor triads (1 - b3 - 5) and minor/Major seventh chords (1 - b3 - 5 - 7).

Here are three basic min/maj7 chord shapes that can be associated with.

Minor guitar chords

One Octave Shapes

Here are four one-octave shapes to play the Neapolitan minor scale.

The tonic note (1) being the tonal center of the scale.

Neapolitan minor scale guitar shapes

Two-Octave Shapes

These two shapes show the notes of the Neapolitan minor scale in position, covering two octaves.

Neapolitan minor scale guitar positions

3 Notes Per String

Now here is the Neapolitan minor scale spanning the whole guitar neck.

Each form starts on a different scale step, using 3 notes per string, thus providing all the seven modes.

Neapolitan minor scale guitar diagrams

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Last edited: 2024-12-09

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