F# Minor Eleventh Cavaquinho Arpeggio
Cavaquinho arpeggio — fretboard diagram
F# Minor Eleventh Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals
Notes: F#, A, C#, E, G#, B
Intervals: 1P, 3m, 5P, 7m, 9M, 11P
Formula: WH-2W-WH-2W-WH
Number of notes: 6
Also known as: m11, -11
The F# Minor Eleventh arpeggio contains 6 notes (F#, A, C#, E, G#, B). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this arpeggio on Cavaquinho with different tunings and fret ranges.
When to Use the F# Minor Eleventh Arpeggio
Play the F# Minor Eleventh arpeggio whenever a F# Minor Eleventh chord appears in a progression. Unlike scales (which include passing tones), arpeggios guarantee every note you play IS a chord tone, making your solo sound harmonically precise and intentional.
Arpeggio vs. Scale
The F# Minor Eleventh arpeggio uses 6 notes (F#, A, C#, E, G#, B) while the full scale uses 7. The arpeggio is a subset — think of it as the skeleton of the scale. Practice alternating between the arpeggio and the full scale to develop a melodic vocabulary that mixes chord tones with passing tones.
How to Play F# Minor Eleventh Arpeggio on Cavaquinho
Locate F# on your instrument and play through the 6 notes of the Minor Eleventh arpeggio (F#, A, C#, E, G#, B) slowly, ensuring each tone rings clearly before connecting them at speed.
The F# Minor Eleventh arpeggio outlines a F# minor chord and fits naturally over F#m, F#m7, F#m6 voicings. Use it to bring out the darker, expressive quality of minor harmony in your solos and melodies.
Practice Routine
Practice the F# Minor Eleventh arpeggio in different octaves, starting low and working up. Then try displacing the octaves — play the root low, the A an octave higher, and continue leaping. This trains your ear to hear the intervals (1P, 3m, 5P, 7m, 9M, 11P) in any register.
Cavaquinho Tips
Practice the F# Minor Eleventh arpeggio on your instrument at a slow, comfortable tempo, focusing on clean articulation of each of the 6 tones before gradually increasing speed.