The F minor scale is a key ingredient in any guitarist’s toolbox. Understanding this scale unlocks a whole world of musical options and helps you improvise, compose, and understand music theory.
This article provides a comprehensive guide to learning the F minor scale on guitar, covering everything from the notes themselves to common patterns and exercises.
Understanding the F minor scale
Like other minor scales, the F minor scale has a distinct sound and structure. Here’s what you need to know.
Notes of the F minor scale
The notes in the F minor scale are: F – G – A♭ – B♭ – C – D♭ – E♭.
As you can see, the F minor scale has four flats and three natural notes.
Scale formula and structure
The formula for any minor scale is: Root – Major 2nd – Minor 3rd – Perfect 4th – Perfect 5th – Minor 6th – Minor 7th.
If you apply that formula to the F minor scale, you’ll get the notes listed above.
F Minor Scale Positions on the Guitar (CAGED System)
The CAGED system is a structured method for learning scales all over the guitar neck. It breaks the fretboard down into five familiar chord shapes (C, A, G, E, and D) to help you visualize and play scales in different positions.
Here’s a quick look at the five CAGED positions for the F minor scale:
- Position 1: This position often starts with the root note (F) on the 8th fret of the E string.
- Position 2: In this shape, you’ll find the root note (F) on the 1st fret of the E string, and also on the 6th fret of the A string.
- Position 3: This position has the root note (F) on the 8th fret of the D string.
- Position 4: Here, you can find the root note (F) on the 10th fret of the G string.
- Position 5: This position has the root note (F) on the 13th fret of the B string.
It’s important to spend time practicing the F minor scale in all five CAGED positions. Learning all of them will give you more freedom to move around the fretboard and improvise solos.
Chords in the Key of F Minor and Relative Scales
When you’re playing in F minor, you’ll likely use the following chords: i, ii°, III, iv, v, VI, and VII.
Every minor key has a relative major, and every minor key has a parallel major. The relative major of F minor is A♭ Major. The parallel major of F minor is F Major.
Understanding parallel and relative keys can help you find new ways to play in F minor and expand your musical vocabulary.
Wrapping Up
The F minor scale is a really useful one for guitarists to learn. Understanding its structure, different positions on the neck, and related chords will help you become a more musical player.
Keep practicing the F minor scale and experimenting with how you can use it. The more you practice, the better you’ll get!