F Minor Six Diminished Piano Scale
Piano scale diagramAdvanced
F Minor Six Diminished Scale — Notes and Intervals
The F Minor Six Diminished scale is a sophisticated jazz scale popularized by the Barry Harris method. On Piano, its notes are F, G, Ab, Bb, C, Db, D, E. It is the secret to professional voice leading in bebop, allowing for smooth, elegant movements between minor chords and their related tensions. Commonly used in Jazz, Bebop, Swing. Notable players include Barry Harris, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell. Use over m6 chords and their related dim7 chords. The scale alternates between chord tones and diminished passing tones, creating seamless bebop voice leading.
Notes: F, G, Ab, Bb, C, Db, D, E
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3m, 4P, 5P, 6m, 6M, 7M
Degrees: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7 8
Formula: W-H-W-W-H-H-W-H
Number of notes: 8
Musical Character
The 'Barry Harris scale' — an 8-note system that provides the secret to professional voice leading in bebop. It allows for smooth, elegant movements between minor chords and their related diminished tensions.
Genres & Notable Artists
Genres: Jazz, Bebop, Swing
Notable players: Barry Harris, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell
How to Use the F Minor Six Diminished Scale
Use over m6 chords and their related dim7 chords. The scale alternates between chord tones and diminished passing tones, creating seamless bebop voice leading.
Origin & Background
Systematized by jazz educator Barry Harris as the foundation of his bebop harmony method. Provides the theoretical framework for understanding Charlie Parker's voice leading.
How to Play F Minor Six Diminished on Piano
On piano, the F Minor Six Diminished scale uses 3 black keys. Start with your thumb on F and use the black keys as landmarks for consistent finger placement. Standard major or minor fingering patterns apply.
The F Minor Six Diminished scale contains 3 flats (Ab, Bb, Db). This scale does not follow a traditional major or minor key signature, so reading from sheet music may require accidentals.
Practice Routine
Begin by playing the F Minor Six Diminished scale ascending and descending at 100 BPM using a metronome, one note per beat. Once comfortable, practice in thirds (F-Ab, G-Bb) to build intervallic familiarity. Spend 5 minutes daily on this pattern before increasing tempo by 10 BPM.
Experiment with simple two-chord vamps rooted on F to let the characteristic intervals of the Minor Six Diminished scale come through clearly. This scale is especially effective in jazz contexts.
Piano Tips
At the piano, try voicing the F Minor Six Diminished scale in the left hand as blocked intervals (thirds or sixths) while the right hand plays the melody. This develops your harmonic ear and comping skills simultaneously. Aim for a sophisticated quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.
Related Scales
The F Minor Six Diminished scale contains 8 notes (F, G, Ab, Bb, C, Db, D, E). Use the interactive piano diagram above to explore this scale on Piano.