Metal Guitar Scales: 10 Scales to Sound Heavy and Evil

You know minor pentatonic. You can shred it up and down the fretboard. Your friends think it sounds heavy.

Then you listen to Yngwie Malmsteen, Kirk Hammett, John Petrucci or Marty Friedman and think: Damn.

It's not just about the scale, but there are scales that sound evil and dissonant.

If you want to play terrifying metal riffs, I'll show you how to make it heavy, and I'll use the key of C so even a 5-year-old gets it.

Let's start with a scale (skip if you know this)

A scale is a bunch of notes. If you play C - D - E - G - A, that's a scale (major scale to be precise). Sounds happy. Doesn't really sound like metal. The most common 'scale' is major scale - which is C - D - E - F - G - A - B. It's what makes songs sound happy and resolved. Knowing the notes is good, but I want you to remember the numbers.

1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7.

These are the notes of the major scale. In the key of C, 1 means C; 2 means D; and so on. When you reach 8, it means you're back to C but an octave higher (higher in pitch).

I think this system of using Roman-numerals (thinking in numbers) is the best way to remember different scales; it's what I use, and once it clicks, you'll thank me for it! The same system also works when you need to understand chords and harmonies or transpose to a different key.

Back to metal, you can make any scale feel and sound metal if you're playing with the right tone, rhythm, and attitude. Try major scale with a heavy distortion and palm muting. Won't sound like Slayer, but close enough.

Metal likes lowering the 5th (or raising the 4th). This is called a tritone. Sounds evil, literally called "devil's interval"; it's the sound of Black Sabbath and you'll notice the interval coming up often.

Normally, we use scales/ modes with a b3 interval (minor pentatonic, minor, dorian, etc).

Metal Guitar Scales To Sound Evil.

That out of the way, enjoy the scales. I've included two octaves for each scale, but I recommend you stick to just one octave at a time. Think of the fifth fret third string (C note in standard tuning) as your root note. I'll give you the formulas and ideas for the scales here, but see what each feels like to you.

If you want a handy guide with intervals and octave shapes for these scales, I've made a free PDF cheatsheet.

11 Scales for Metal - theory + diagrams

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Minor Pentatonic

What you're hearing is the A note as a pedal note. I said I'd show every scale in C, but on the guitar, I suggest we look at the A minor pentatonic; it's very very common. We'll also look at C.

Formula: 1 - ♭3 - 4 - 5 - ♭7

In C: C - E♭ - F - G - B♭

In A: A - C - D - E - G

Tony Iommi, Zakk Wylde, Dimebag Darrell - these guys use it heavily. I use it heavily. You'll use it heavily. Take my word for it.

Here's the box 1 of A minor pentatonic:

It's not the most original lick, but try alternate picking; if it feels fast, decrease tempo; if it's easy, increase it, practice along with the metronome in the player.

Solo example!

You thought I wouldn't show a solo example, didn't you!

This solo is in A minor, over a simple A5 track; try to steal parts, see if bending a different note sounds cool.

Natural Minor Scale / Aeolian

Formula: 1 - 2 - ♭3 - 4 - 5 - ♭6 - ♭7

In C: C - D - E♭ - F - G - A♭ - B♭

Notes:

• minor scale is minor pentatonic with major 2nd and minor 6th added.
• compared to major scale, it has b3, b6 and b7 intervals.

It's the scale you hear in most metal riffs. It's stable enough to build a song around, but dark enough to sound heavy. You'll hear it constantly.

Harmonic Minor (The Dramatic One)

Formula: 1 - 2 - ♭3 - 4 - 5 - ♭6 - 7

In C: C - D - E♭ - F - G - A♭ - B

Notes:

• harmonic minor scale is minor scale with a major 7th interval. Raised 7th creates tension that wants to resolve. It's the scale Yngwie Malmsteen, Ritchie Blackmore, and Uli Jon Roth built their legacies on.
• compared to major scale, it has b3 and b6 intervals. More dissonance.
• both harmonic minor and dorian have two flat intervals. Dorian has b3 and b7; harmonic minor has b3 and b6 intervals. You can move between these two scales by focusing on b6/ b7. Example: C harmonic minor is C D Eb F G Ab B; C dorian is C D Eb F G A Bb.

Minor Blues

Formula: 1 - ♭3 - 4 - ♭5 - 5 - ♭7

In C: C - E♭ - F - G♭ - G - B♭

Notes:

• minor blues scale is minor pentatonic scale with a flat-5 interval (aka tritone/ sharp-4/ devil's interval).
• b5 creates bluesy, slightly dissonant sound that metal borrowed from blues

Minor blues shows up in Hendrix-influenced stuff, early Black Sabbath and lots of places.

Exotic Scales

I wanted to pitch you some modes.

Phrygian (The Spanish One)

Formula: 1 - ♭2 - ♭3 - 4 - 5 - ♭6 - ♭7

In C: C - D♭ - E♭ - F - G - A♭ - B♭

Notes:

• phrygian scale/mode is minor scale with a b2. I feel like it's darker than phrygian dominant.
• it's more common in flamenco, but is great for metal if you want to sound ominous and dark.

The difference between phrygian and phrygian dominant is subtle but important: phrygian sounds darker and more minor, while phrygian dominant sounds more dramatic and exotic. Use phrygian when you want to sound evil. Use phrygian dominant when you want to sound theatrical.

Phrygian Dominant (The Middle Eastern One)

Formula: 1 - ♭2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - ♭6 - ♭7

In C: C - D♭ - E - F - G - A♭ - B♭

Notes:

• phrygian dominant scale is minor scale with a b2 and raised 3rd. It's technically not a minor scale because it doesn't have a b3 interval.
• b2 and major 3rd sounds spicy. It's the Egyptian/ middle-Eastern sound we know and love. b2 works as a passing tone or for bends.
• for theory geeks, phrygian dominant scale is the 5th mode of harmonic minor.
• I don't find this scale dark; it sounds almost theatrical; unique and exotic yep, but dark- not really.

Think Iron Maiden's "Powerslave" or Al Di Meola's "Egyptian Danza."

Hungarian Minor

Formula: 1 - 2 - ♭3 - ♯4 - 5 - ♭6 - 7

In C: C - D - E♭ - F♯ - G - A♭ - B

Notes:

• hungarian minor is harmonic minor with raised 4th.
• two things are special (and creating dissonance) here: raised 7th from harmonic minor; tritone from raised 4th.

It's chaotic and perfect for crazy, evil-sounding riffs. Chris Broderick used it on Megadeth's "Head Crusher."

Tip: Use it for breakdowns or riffs and resolve to minor.

Lydian ♭7/ Locrian 6

Formula: 1 - 2 - 3 - ♯4 - 5 - ♭6 - ♭7

In C: C - D - E - F♯ - G - A♭ - B♭

Notes:

• lydian ♭7 is the fourth mode of harmonic minor.
• it has a raised 4th, b6 and b7.

Diminished Scale

Formula: 1 - 2 - ♭3 - 4 - ♭5 - ♭6 - 6 - 7

In C: C - D - E♭ - F - G♭ - A♭ - A - B

This is an 8-note scale (most scales have 7). It's built by alternating whole steps and half steps, which makes it symmetrical. That symmetry means you can move the same pattern up by 3 frets and you're in a different key, but the pattern stays the same.

What's cool about this scale is that it contains multiple chord types: a C major chord (C - E - G), a C minor chord (C - E♭ - G), and a C diminished chord (C - E♭ - G♭). That means it works over major chords, minor chords, and diminished chords.

Ideal for creating tension that resolves when you come back to the root.

Lydian

Formula: 1 - 2 - 3 - ♯4 - 5 - 6 - 7

In C: C - D - E - F♯ - G - A - B

Wait, this has a major 3rd. and looks like a major scale with a tritone.

Lydian is a major scale with a raised 4th. It's not as dark as harmonic minor or phrygian, but it's perfect for progressive metal, atmospheric metal, or slow, heavy riffs.

Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and John Petrucci use this scale constantly. It sounds sophisticated and dark at the same time. Use it when you want to sound technical and heavy, not just brutal.

Dorian

Formula: 1 - 2 - ♭3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - ♭7

In C: C - D - E♭ - F - G - A - B♭

Dorian is the 2nd mode of the major scale. It's a minor scale with a major 6th instead of a minor 6th. That major 6th gives it a less dark, more "mysterious" quality than natural minor.

It's used in progressive and melodic metal more than brutal metal. It sounds less evil, more introspective. Use it when you want to sound heavy but not necessarily angry. If you have trouble memorizing the sound, think of the chord progression from Mad World by Gary Jules.

Miyako-bushi scale (In scale)

Formula: 1 - ♭2 - 4 - 5 - ♭6

In C: C - D♭ - F - G - A♭

Here we have a 5-note japanese scale. It's got the flat 2 (creating tension) and the flat 6, but skips the 3rd entirely. That gives it an open, sparse quality.

Marty Friedman and Jason Becker have used this scale. It works well in minor and major key progressions. It's great for creating space in your solos- sparingly.

Finally, my favorite scale. Aeolian Dominant/ Mixolydian b6 (Hindu Scale)

Formula: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - ♭6 - ♭7

In C: C - D - E - F - G - A♭ - B♭

This scale blends a major chord feel with a dark minor 6th drop. It creates a uniquely haunting, cinematic tension. It's brilliant for melodic metal lines that need to sound both epic and melancholic.

Best way to memorize these shapes?

I avoid 3nps shapes when teaching these scales for one good reason. You don't need them until you know the intervals (and the sound) really well. One octave is more than enough for that. So, pick a scale, memorize that sound in one octave. Play over a backing track. Learn what chord works. Stick to it for a while.

When you learn a new scale, compare the intervals with what you already know. Dorian scale, for example, is a natural minor with a raised 7. Mixolydian is a major scale with a flat 7. Lydian is major with raised 4th.

You can find the shapes in our free cheatsheet.

11 Scales for Metal - theory + diagrams

Pay what you want

PDF

Which metal scales should YOU use?

Any scale can sound metal, but here's a handy list for common scales in metal subgenres.

If you're new: learn natural minor first (covers thrash, doom and half of everything), then Phrygian dominant (covers metalcore and black metal), then harmonic minor (anything technical).

About "evil", flat-2 (Phrygian) and tritone (diminished / flat-5) will make riffs sound evil if you play it like it's evil.

Chromatic Passing Tones

A chromatic note is one that's not in your scale. If you play it intentionally, it add complexity and some fluidity.

For example, if you're playing in C natural minor and you want to go from C to E♭, you could play C - C♯ - E♭. That C♯ is a chromatic passing tone. It's not in the scale, but sounds intentional because it's passing through.

Rust in Peace has chromatic notes everywhere. You want to use the passing notes on the "and" of the beats.

Let me tell you how I learned (and how I teach) scales.

A scale is convenient. It's seven notes, maybe five. Easy to move around. Works every time. I can play by ear as long as it's not a fast technical piece. So, I treated scales like pokemons.

I learned scales in an octave, then two octaves, then 3nps shapes for all positions. I was diligent, I printed them out, practiced to backing tracks, and got good at noodling. I've taken physical lessons and listened to many musicians. I've heard- "learn the scale, learn positions, learn chord tones, outline them". And I've done that.

Learning a scale doesn't mean you can play music. It means you can play a scale. You can play it fast, slow, up, down, in different positions, on an expensive instrument, with a good amp, sure. But it's not going to sound like you. You have to cultivate your sound. One octave is fine for that.

The end goal is not to learn and mix all positions of minor pentatonic, blues and Dorian across the fretboard. The end goal for me, honestly, was to play what I hear in my head. You have to learn to play what you hear in your head not what you see on your fretboard or what your fingers will play.

It's nice to know the scale and solo in 3 different positions mindlessly, still enjoy it, but you have to make a conscious effort to play what you hear in your head. The secret to improving your musical ability is to practice articulating what you hear in your head until your music sounds like you. You don't need a course for this. You don't need a dark ritual to summon anybody; you just have to be patient and persistent.

Final Thoughts

Playing a scale up and down is boring, you'll eventually want to play what you feel like hearing, and not what feels easy on your fingers. Stick to one octave. The ones I've shown here are perfect. Pick a backing track and improvise with it. Pick C. See what happens. You'll learn more than buying any course will teach you in months.

FAQs

How do I memorize these scales?

Don't try to learn all scales in one day. Pick one shape (like Phrygian Dominant in the root position), lock it under your fingers, and immediately start improvising over a backing track. You learn scales by making music with them.

Why does my Phrygian scale sound like a happy Major scale?

Because you are probably resolving to the wrong root note! Check your backing track. Phrygian shares the exact same notes as a major scale (C Phrygian is the same notes as A♭ Major). If you don't aggressively emphasize your root note (C) and use heavy power chords underneath, you might end up playing the major version instead.

Do I need to play fast for these scales to sound metal?

Nope. While shredders play at 200 BPM, bands like Black Sabbath and Doom Metal acts play them incredibly slow. The "evil" sound comes from dissonant intervals. Try feeling it.