F Persian Guitar Scale

F Persian Scale — Notes and Intervals

The F Persian scale is an exotic and highly symmetrical scale that evokes an authentic Middle Eastern atmosphere. On Guitar, it contains the notes F, Gb, A, Bb, B, Db, E. Its dense semitones and wide intervals create a winding, hypnotic melodic path that sounds both ancient and mystical. Commonly used in Middle Eastern, Film Scores, Metal, Ambient. Notable players include Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Buckethead. Use over sustained root notes or drones. Works best in modal, non-functional harmony where the exotic intervals can breathe.

Notes: F, Gb, A, Bb, B, Db, E

Intervals: 1P, 2m, 3M, 4P, 5d, 6m, 7M

Degrees: 1 b2 3 4 5 b6 7

Formula: H-WH-H-H-W-WH-H

Number of notes: 7

Musical Character

Dense with semitones and wide intervals that create a winding, serpentine melodic path. Its high symmetry gives it a meditative, 'orbiting' quality.

Genres & Notable Artists

Genres: Middle Eastern, Film Scores, Metal, Ambient

Notable players: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Buckethead

How to Use the F Persian Scale

Use over sustained root notes or drones. Works best in modal, non-functional harmony where the exotic intervals can breathe.

Origin & Background

Rooted in the maqam traditions of Persian classical music. Used for centuries in Iranian dastgah modal system.

How to Play F Persian on Guitar

Place your index finger at fret 1 on the 6th (low E) to find your F root note. Use a three-notes-per-string fingering to cover the full scale in one position, or learn the CAGED shapes to navigate the entire fretboard. An alternative starting point is 8th fret on the A string.

The F Persian scale contains 3 flats (Gb, Bb, Db). This scale does not follow a traditional major or minor key signature, so reading from sheet music may require accidentals.

Practice Routine

Set a metronome to 100 BPM and play the F Persian scale in groups of four notes, shifting the starting note each repetition. This builds muscle memory across the entire scale range. After a week, try improvising short 4-bar phrases using only these notes.

Exotic scales like the Persian often work best as a melodic layer over a single root drone on F. Let the unique intervals speak for themselves without frequent chord changes. This scale is especially effective in middle eastern contexts.

Guitar Tips

On guitar, practice the F Persian scale on a single string from the open position to the 12th fret. This trains your ear to hear the intervals linearly and helps with slide guitar applications. Aim for a mystical quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.

Related Scales

• F Phrygian dominant
• F Double harmonic major
• F Oriental

The F Persian scale contains 7 notes (F, Gb, A, Bb, B, Db, E). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.

CAGED Positions & Patterns for F Persian

The F Persian scale can be played in 5 CAGED positions across the fretboard, each based on an open chord shape (C, A, G, E, D). As a 7-note scale, it also lends itself to 3-notes-per-string (3NPS) patterns that facilitate legato playing and diagonal shifting. Use the pattern selector above to isolate each position.

Explore F Persian Further

• Harmonize the F Persian scale — triads & 7th chords
• Browse chord progressions
• F Persian on Ukulele
• F Persian on Bass
• F Persian on Piano

Explore F Persian in Other Tunings

• F Persian in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
• F Persian in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
• F Persian in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
• F Persian in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
• F Persian in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
• F Persian in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
• F Persian in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
• F Persian in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
• F Persian in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
• F Persian in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
• F Persian in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
• F Persian in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
• F Persian in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
• F Persian in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)

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