Six Strings
In this section: Scales
Scales

F♯ minor pentatonic

A five-note scale built on F♯: root, minor third, fourth, fifth and minor seventh. The most widely used scale for improvising in rock and blues.

Notes
F♯, A, B, C♯, E
Formula
1, ♭3, 4, 5, ♭7
Style
Rock, blues, pop
Difficulty
Beginner

On the neck

Every note of the scale on the neck (choose 12, 15 or 19 frets). Click to listen.

EF♯ABC♯EF♯ABABC♯EF♯ABC♯EEF♯ABC♯EF♯AABC♯EF♯ABC♯BC♯EF♯ABC♯EF♯EF♯ABC♯EF♯AB
EF♯ABC♯EABC♯EF♯AEF♯ABC♯ABC♯EF♯BC♯EF♯ABEF♯ABC♯E

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.

F♯ (root note)

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.

F♯ minori
A majorIII
B minoriv
C♯ minorv
D majorVI
E majorVII

Progressions to use it on

i, VII, VI, VII: the rock loop
i, iv, v: the minor cadence
12-bar blues

▶ Play it in the Studio

Loop the first one and improvise over it:

The pop strumF♯m · E · D · E

Learn the pop strum step by step →

All 5 positions

Each position covers all six strings, with two notes per string. Position 1 starts on the root, on the 6th string.

Position 1: frets 2 to 5

It also works an octave higher, frets 14 to 17.

F♯ABC♯EF♯ABC♯C♯EF♯A

High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.

e|---------------------2-5-|
B|-----------------2-5-----|
G|-------------2-4---------|
D|---------2-4-------------|
A|-----2-4-----------------|
E|-2-5---------------------|

Position 2: frets 4 to 7

ABC♯EF♯ABC♯EF♯AB

High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.

e|---------------------5-7-|
B|-----------------5-7-----|
G|-------------4-6---------|
D|---------4-7-------------|
A|-----4-7-----------------|
E|-5-7---------------------|

Position 3: frets 6 to 10

ABC♯EF♯ABC♯C♯EF♯EF♯AABC♯

High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.

e|----------------------7-9-|
B|-----------------7-10-----|
G|-------------6-9----------|
D|---------7-9--------------|
A|-----7-9------------------|
E|-7-9----------------------|

Position 4: frets 9 to 12

C♯EF♯ABC♯EF♯ABC♯E

High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.

e|---------------------------9-12-|
B|---------------------10-12------|
G|----------------9-11------------|
D|-----------9-11-----------------|
A|------9-12----------------------|
E|-9-12---------------------------|

Position 5: frets 11 to 14

EF♯ABC♯EF♯AABC♯EF♯

High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.

e|-------------------------------12-14-|
B|-------------------------12-14-------|
G|-------------------11-14-------------|
D|-------------11-14-------------------|
A|-------12-14-------------------------|
E|-12-14-------------------------------|