F# Minor/major Seventh Cavaquinho Arpeggio
Cavaquinho arpeggio — fretboard diagram
F# Minor/major Seventh Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals
Notes: F#, A, C#, F
Intervals: 1P, 3m, 5P, 7M
Formula: WH-2W-2W
Number of notes: 4
Also known as: m/ma7, m/maj7, mM7, mMaj7, m/M7, -Δ7, mΔ, -^7, -maj7
The F# Minor/major Seventh arpeggio contains 4 notes (F#, A, C#, F). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this arpeggio on Cavaquinho with different tunings and fret ranges.
When to Use the F# Minor/major Seventh Arpeggio
Play the F# Minor/major Seventh arpeggio whenever a F# Minor/major Seventh 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/major Seventh arpeggio uses 4 notes (F#, A, C#, F) 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/major Seventh Arpeggio on Cavaquinho
Locate F# on your instrument and play through the 4 notes of the Minor/major Seventh arpeggio (F#, A, C#, F) slowly, ensuring each tone rings clearly before connecting them at speed.
The F# Minor/major Seventh 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
Start by playing the F# Minor/major Seventh arpeggio ascending and descending at 60 BPM, one note per beat, using a metronome. Once even and confident, play it in eighth notes, then triplets, keeping each note articulate. Spend at least 5 minutes daily on this before moving to musical application.
Cavaquinho Tips
Practice the F# Minor/major Seventh arpeggio on your instrument at a slow, comfortable tempo, focusing on clean articulation of each of the 4 tones before gradually increasing speed.