F Minor Guitar Scale
Guitar scale in 7-string tuning — fretboard diagram
F Minor in 7-string — Notes and Intervals
The F Minor scale, also known as the Aeolian mode or natural minor, is the standard for expressing melancholy, introspection, and drama. On Guitar, its notes are F, G, Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb. Its sound is darker and more somber than the major scale, widely used in songwriting to evoke deep emotional narratives and serving as the foundation of traditional minor-key compositions. The diatonic chords of F Minor are Fm7, Gm7b5, Abmaj7, Bbm7, Cm7, Dbmaj7, Eb7. Commonly used in Rock, Pop, Metal, Classical, R&B. Notable players include Metallica, Adele, Beethoven. Use over minor triads, m7, m9 chords. Works across the entire minor key. Avoid over dominant chords that want a leading tone.
Notes: F, G, Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3m, 4P, 5P, 6m, 7m
Degrees: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7
Formula: W-H-W-W-H-W-W
Number of notes: 7
Tuning: 7-string (B-E-A-D-G-B-E)
Also known as: aeolian
Diatonic Chords
Fm7 — Gm7♭5 — A♭maj7 — B♭m7 — Cm7 — D♭maj7 — E♭7
About 7-string Tuning
The 7-string guitar adds a low B string below the standard 6-string tuning (B-E-A-D-G-B-E), extending the instrument's range into bass territory. This extra low end has become essential in progressive metal, djent, and modern heavy music, enabling crushing low-end riffs while maintaining access to standard guitar voicings on the upper strings.
Pioneered by jazz guitarist George Van Eps and later brought into the metal mainstream by Steve Vai and Korn, the 7-string guitar has become a staple of modern heavy music. Players like Tosin Abasi, Misha Mansoor, and John Petrucci have pushed the instrument's capabilities into new territory, using the extended range for complex harmonic progressions, polyrhythmic riffs, and sweeping arpeggios that span an enormous tonal range.
Notable artists: Dream Theater, Periphery, Animals as Leaders, Korn, Meshuggah
Best for: Progressive metal riffs, extended-range chord voicings, djent rhythms, and jazz fusion harmony
Musical Character
The relative minor of any major key shares the same notes but starts on the 6th degree, allowing composers to shift mood without changing key signature.
Chord Progressions Using This Scale
- i – VI – III – VII (Cinematic Minor)Contemporary / Film — Dramatic & Dark