F# Flat Six Pentatonic Piano Scale
Piano scale diagramAdvanced
F# Flat Six Pentatonic Scale — Notes and Intervals
The F# Flat Six Pentatonic scale is a modern synthetic pentatonic used to imply the sound of the melodic minor system. On Piano, its notes are F#, G#, A#, C#, D. It provides a poignant and slightly altered texture to major melodies, making it a favorite for contemporary jazz players looking for fresh melodic paths. Commonly used in Contemporary Jazz, Fusion, Post-Bop. Notable players include Pat Metheny, Kurt Rosenwinkel. Use over Maj7, mMaj7, and altered dominant chords. A modern jazz tool for fresh melodic paths.
Notes: F#, G#, A#, C#, D
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3M, 5P, 6m
Degrees: 1 2 3 4 b5
Formula: W-W-WH-H-4
Number of notes: 5
Musical Character
Implies the melodic minor sound through only 5 notes, providing a contemporary jazz texture that is slightly altered without being fully 'outside'.
Genres & Notable Artists
Genres: Contemporary Jazz, Fusion, Post-Bop
Notable players: Pat Metheny, Kurt Rosenwinkel
How to Use the F# Flat Six Pentatonic Scale
Use over Maj7, mMaj7, and altered dominant chords. A modern jazz tool for fresh melodic paths.
Origin & Background
A contemporary jazz pentatonic extracted from the melodic minor system.
How to Play F# Flat Six Pentatonic on Piano
On piano, the F# Flat Six Pentatonic scale uses 4 black keys. With several black keys involved, let the thumb naturally fall on white keys where possible. Practice hands separately at first, paying attention to smooth thumb-under transitions.
The F# Flat Six Pentatonic scale contains 4 sharps (F#, G#, A#, C#). 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# Flat Six Pentatonic 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.
This scale works well over simple power chord progressions or a 12-bar blues in F#. Try a F#5 - C#5 - D5 progression. This scale is especially effective in fusion contexts.
Piano Tips
At the piano, try voicing the F# Flat Six Pentatonic 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 poignant quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.
Related Scales
Flat Six Pentatonic is the Melodic minor-derived pentatonic. View F# Melodic minor scale
The F# Flat Six Pentatonic scale contains 5 notes (F#, G#, A#, C#, D). Use the interactive piano diagram above to explore this scale on Piano.