The F Minor scale is a 7 note scale that uses the following notes:
F, G, Ab, Bb, C, Db and Eb.
![The F Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (1) The F Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (1)](https://i0.wp.com/jadebultitude.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/F-natural-minor-scale-with-note-names-one-octave-1024x226.png)
The scale is usually written as starting and ending on F and it can be repeating at higher or lower octaves. F Minor is a diatonic scale, which means that it is in a key, in this case the key of F Minor!
The Natural Minor Scale
There are three types of minor scale: the natural minor, harmonic minor and melodic minor. In this post we will stick to F Natural Minor Scale, but you learn aboutF Harmonic MinorandF Melodic Minorin our other articles.
How is the F Natural Minor scale created?
All Natural Minor scales follow a specific pattern of tones and semitones (steps and half steps). The tone pattern is:
Tone, Semitone, Tone, Tone, Semitone, Tone, Tone
If we take the start at a C and follow the pattern we will get the C Natural Minor Scale. To create the F Natural Minor scale, follow the tone/semitone pattern starting on the note F.
Whichever note you start on, you will always achieve the minor scale starting on this note.
![The F Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (2) The F Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (2)](https://i0.wp.com/jadebultitude.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/F-natural-minor-scale-with-tones-and-semitones-labelled-1024x270.png)
F Minor Scale on the Piano
As you can see, if we were to play this scale on the piano diagram we use four black keys for each of the flats.
![The F Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (3) The F Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (3)](https://i0.wp.com/jadebultitude.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/F-natural-minor-scale-on-piano-with-keys-labelled-1024x337.png)
To play this scale on the piano use the fingers written below.
![The F Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (4) The F Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (4)](https://i0.wp.com/jadebultitude.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/F-natural-minor-scale-piano-fingerings-right-hand-1024x337.png)
F Minor Scale on the Guitar
To play the F Natural Minor scale on the guitar use the tab below.
![The F Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (5) The F Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (5)](https://i0.wp.com/jadebultitude.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/F-natural-minor-scale-guitar-tab-two-octaes-1024x368.png)
Degrees of the Scale: F Minor
Each note in the F Minor scale has a position that we call the degree of the scale. The first note of the scale is called the ‘tonic’ note.
![The F Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (6) The F Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (6)](https://i0.wp.com/jadebultitude.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/F-natural-minor-scale-with-degress-of-the-scale-1024x221.png)
Key Signature for F Minor
Rather than writing the flat signs on the individual notes, we can now make use of the key signature. F Minor is the relative minor of Ab Major. You can work this out because F is the sixth note of Ab Major.
This means that they both share a key signature and have four flats: Bb, Eb, Ab and Db.
![The F Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (7) The F Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (7)](https://i0.wp.com/jadebultitude.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/F-natural-minor-scale-key-signature-treble-clef.png)
Here is the F minor scale written out using the key signature.
![The F Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (8) The F Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (8)](https://i0.wp.com/jadebultitude.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/F-natural-minor-scale-one-octave-with-key-signature-1024x166.png)
F Minor Scale in Different Clefs
Treble Clef
Below is the F Natural Minor Scale written out in the treble clef, both ascending and descending.
![The F Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (9) The F Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (9)](https://i0.wp.com/jadebultitude.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/F-natural-minor-scale-treble-clef-ascending-and-descending-1024x371.png)
Bass Clef
Below is the F Natural Minor Scale written out in the bass clef, both ascending and descending.
![The F Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (10) The F Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (10)](https://i0.wp.com/jadebultitude.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/F-natural-minor-scale-bass-clef-ascending-and-descending-1024x333.png)
Alto Clef
Below is the F Natural Minor Scale written out in the alto clef, both ascending and descending.
![The F Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (11) The F Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (11)](https://i0.wp.com/jadebultitude.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/F-natural-minor-scale-alto-clef-ascending-and-descending-1024x329.png)
Tenor Clef
Below is the F Natural Minor Scale written out in the tenor clef, both ascending and descending.
![The F Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (12) The F Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (12)](https://i0.wp.com/jadebultitude.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/F-natural-minor-scale-tenor-clef-ascending-and-descending-1024x340.png)
What is the Relative Major of F Minor
![The F Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (13) The F Minor Scale: A Complete Guide - Jade Bultitude (13)](https://i0.wp.com/jadebultitude.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/circle-of-fifths-f-naural-minor-and-a-flat-major-highlighted-941x1024.png)
As you can see from the circle of fifths diagram F Minor is the relative minor of Ab Major. Or to say it another way: Ab Major is the relative major of F Minor. This means that Ab Major and F Minor share the same key signature and have 4 flats.
The great thing about this is that both scales are identical except for the fact that F Minor start on an ‘F’ and A flat Major starts on a ‘Ab’.
What are the chords in the F Minor scale?
There are chords starting on each note of the F Minor Scale. To learn more, see our dedicated post onF Minor Chords.
What do we mean when we say a piece is ‘in the key of F Minor’?
If we say that a piece of music is in the key of F Minor, this means a few things:
- The key signature will have four flats as the relative major is Ab major.
- The tonic (or root note) of the piece will be F natural. This note will sound the most stable in the whole piece.
- The piece will mostly use notes from this scale, these could be in any octave.
- The chords used will be those chords that are in F Minor.
What’s next….
- Learn more about the different types of minor scales with our complete guide.
- Learn about the circle of fifths and how it can help you better understand music theory.