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♯ (F♯m) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (F♯) | F♯mhome | F♯m7home |
| 2 (G♯) | G♯dimthe edge | G♯m7♭5the edge |
| ♭3 (A) | Adaylight | Amaj7daylight |
| 4 (B) | Bmsoft fall | Bm7soft fall |
| 5 (C♯) | C♯msoft fall | C♯m7soft fall |
| ♭6 (D) | Dcinematic | Dmaj7cinematic |
| ♭7 (E) | Eheroic | E7heroic |
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: F♯m, G♯dim, A, Bm, C♯m, D and E, and as seventh chords F♯m7, G♯m7♭5, Amaj7, Bm7, C♯m7, Dmaj7 and E7. F♯ is home: F♯m 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.