F# Minor Guitar Scale
Guitar scale — fretboard diagram
F# Minor Scale — Notes and Intervals
The F# Minor scale, also known as the Aeolian mode or natural minor, is the standard for expressing melancholy, introspection, and drama. On Guitar, its notes are F#, G#, A, B, C#, D, E. Its sound is darker and more somber than the major scale, widely used in songwriting to evoke deep emotional narratives and serving as the foundation of traditional minor-key compositions. The diatonic chords of F# Minor are F#m7, G#m7b5, Amaj7, Bm7, C#m7, Dmaj7, E7. Commonly used in Rock, Pop, Metal, Classical, R&B. Notable players include Metallica, Adele, Beethoven. Use over minor triads, m7, m9 chords. Works across the entire minor key. Avoid over dominant chords that want a leading tone.
Notes: F#, G#, A, B, C#, D, E
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3m, 4P, 5P, 6m, 7m
Degrees: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7
Formula: W-H-W-W-H-W-W
Number of notes: 7
Also known as: aeolian
Diatonic Chords
F♯m7 — G♯m7♭5 — Amaj7 — Bm7 — C♯m7 — Dmaj7 — E7
How to Play F# Minor on Guitar
Place your index finger at fret 2 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 9th fret on the A string.
The F# Minor scale contains 3 sharps (F#, G#, C#). Its relative major is A major, which shares the same key signature.
Practice Routine
Begin by playing the F# Minor scale ascending and descending at 80 BPM using a metronome, one note per beat. Once comfortable, practice in thirds (F#-A, G#-B) to build intervallic familiarity. Spend 5 minutes daily on this pattern before increasing tempo by 10 BPM.
Try these progressions with the F# Minor scale: F#m7 - Bm7 - C#m7 - F#m7 (I-IV-V-I) or F#m7 - G#m7b5 - Bm7 - C#m7 for a more stepwise movement.
Guitar Tips
Use hybrid picking (pick + fingers) when playing the F# Minor scale on guitar to access wider intervals and string skips that a pick alone cannot handle efficiently.
The F# Minor scale contains 7 notes (F#, G#, A, B, C#, D, E). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for F# Minor
The F# Minor 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# Minor Further
- Harmonize the F# Minor scale — triads & 7th chords
- Browse chord progressions
- F# Minor on Ukulele
- F# Minor on Bass
- F# Minor on Piano
Explore F# Minor in Other Tunings
- F# Minor in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
- F# Minor in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
- F# Minor in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
- F# Minor in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
- F# Minor in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
- F# Minor in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
- F# Minor in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
- F# Minor in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
- F# Minor in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
- F# Minor in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
- F# Minor in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
- F# Minor in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
- F# Minor in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
- F# Minor in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)