F minor scale on guitar
The F minor scale has seven notes: F, G, A♭, B♭, C, D♭ and E♭ (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 | F | G | A♭ | B♭ | C | D♭ | E♭ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 F minor scale
The chords on each note of the scale that use only its notes. Play over any of them and every note fits; F (Fm) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (F) | Fmhome | Fm7home |
| 2 (G) | Gdimthe edge | Gm7♭5the edge |
| ♭3 (A♭) | A♭daylight | A♭maj7daylight |
| 4 (B♭) | B♭msoft fall | B♭m7soft fall |
| 5 (C) | Cmsoft fall | Cm7soft fall |
| ♭6 (D♭) | D♭cinematic | D♭maj7cinematic |
| ♭7 (E♭) | E♭heroic | E♭7heroic |
Scales with the same notes
Its relative major is the A♭ major scale: the same notes, started from A♭.
The chords of this key, to hear and play: chords in the key of F minor.
Questions
What notes are in the F minor scale?
F, G, A♭, B♭, C, D♭ and E♭. 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 F minor scale?
The chords made only of its notes: Fm, Gdim, A♭, B♭m, Cm, D♭ and E♭, and as seventh chords Fm7, Gm7♭5, A♭maj7, B♭m7, Cm7, D♭maj7 and E♭7. F is home: Fm is the chord it sounds most settled over.
What is the relative major of the F minor scale?
The A♭ major scale, which has the same notes started from A♭.
The minor scale in every key
Other scales in F
F majorF minor pentatonicF major pentatonicF bluesF DorianF MixolydianF LydianF PhrygianF harmonic minorF melodic minorF 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.