F blues scale
The F minor pentatonic plus a sixth note: the flat fifth, or “blue note.” It’s what gives the blues its color, slipped in between the fourth and the fifth.
- Notes:
- F, A♭, B♭, B, C, E♭.
- Formula:
- 1, ♭3, 4, ♭5, 5, ♭7.
- Style:
- Blues, rock, jazz.
- Difficulty:
- Beginner.
On the neck
Every note of the scale on the neck (choose 12, 15 or 19 frets). Click to listen.
High E at the top, just like in tab.Neck seen from the front, headstock at the top: low E on the left, just like a chord diagram.
Play the scale notes over it. Open in the Studio
Chords that go with it
The chords built on the notes of the scale: improvise with this scale over any progression that uses them.
Progressions to use it on
Loop the first one and improvise over it:
All 5 positions
These are the five minor pentatonic positions, plus the blue note (in purple) wherever it falls in the position. Position 1 starts on the root, on the 6th string.
Position 1: frets 1 to 4
It also works an octave higher, frets 13 to 16.
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|-------------------------1-4-| B|---------------------1-4-----| G|---------------1-3-4---------| D|-----------1-3---------------| A|-----1-2-3-------------------| E|-1-4-------------------------|
Position 2: frets 3 to 6
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|-----------------------4-6-| B|-------------------4-6-----| G|-------------3-4-5---------| D|---------3-6---------------| A|-----3-6-------------------| E|-4-6-----------------------|
Position 3: frets 5 to 9
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|-------------------------6-7-8-| B|---------------------6-9-------| G|-----------------5-8-----------| D|-----------6-8-9---------------| A|-------6-8---------------------| E|-6-7-8-------------------------|
Position 4: frets 8 to 11
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|----------------------------8-11-| B|-----------------------9-11------| G|------------------8-10-----------| D|-----------8-9-10----------------| A|------8-11-----------------------| E|-8-11----------------------------|
Position 5: frets 10 to 13
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|----------------------------------11-13-| B|-------------------------11-12-13-------| G|-------------------10-13----------------| D|-------------10-13----------------------| A|-------11-13----------------------------| E|-11-13----------------------------------|