F Minor Pentatonic Scale on Guitar: Notes, Shapes and Positions

The F minor pentatonic scale is F, A♭, B♭, C and E♭. Its formula is 1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7. Start with the root on the low E string at the 1st fret, then learn the five positions below, from the Em shape at the 1st fret up the neck.

Keys

F Minor Pentatonic Scale: 5 Positions

5Cm shape
8Am shape
10Dm shape
1Em shape
3Dm shape

CAGED Chords — Fm

5C shape
8A shape
10G shape
1E shape
3D shape

Triads — Fm

Root position

5C shape
8A shape
10G shape
1E shape

Notes and formula

Degree1♭345♭7
NoteFA♭B♭CE♭

F minor pentatonic takes five notes from F minor and leaves out G and D♭, the 2nd and ♭6th. With no half steps between neighbouring notes, it is hard to land on a note that clashes with the chords of the key.

The F minor pentatonic scale across the whole neck

Every F minor pentatonic scale note from the nut to the 15th fret: F (root) on the low E string, fret 1; A flat on the low E string, fret 4; B flat on the low E string, fret 6; C on the low E string, fret 8; E flat on the low E string, fret 11; F (root) on the low E string, fret 13; B flat on the A string, fret 1; C on the A string, fret 3; E flat on the A string, fret 6; F (root) on the A string, fret 8; A flat on the A string, fret 11; B flat on the A string, fret 13; C on the A string, fret 15; E flat on the D string, fret 1; F (root) on the D string, fret 3; A flat on the D string, fret 6; B flat on the D string, fret 8; C on the D string, fret 10; E flat on the D string, fret 13; F (root) on the D string, fret 15; A flat on the G string, fret 1; B flat on the G string, fret 3; C on the G string, fret 5; E flat on the G string, fret 8; F (root) on the G string, fret 10; A flat on the G string, fret 13; B flat on the G string, fret 15; C on the B string, fret 1; E flat on the B string, fret 4; F (root) on the B string, fret 6; A flat on the B string, fret 9; B flat on the B string, fret 11; C on the B string, fret 13; F (root) on the high e string, fret 1; A flat on the high e string, fret 4; B flat on the high e string, fret 6; C on the high e string, fret 8; E flat on the high e string, fret 11; F (root) on the high e string, fret 13.

F Minor Pentatonic scale, frets 0–15. Roots (F) in green.

The root, F, sits on the low E string at fret 1 and on the A string at fret 8. Those are the anchors every position is built around.

None of the open strings is a note of F minor pentatonic, so the scale is played entirely with fretted notes.

Position by position: Em shape from the 1st fret; Dm shape from the 3rd fret; Cm shape from the 5th fret; Am shape from the 8th fret; Dm shape from the 10th fret.

What to play F minor pentatonic over

Play it over Fm chords, a minor-key progression in F, or an F blues. Its five notes are also A♭ major pentatonic, so the same shapes work over A♭ major with A♭ as home.

Add the ♭5, C♭, and it becomes the F blues scale.

The nearest keys are a fifth away: C minor pentatonic differs by one note: G instead of A♭; B♭ minor pentatonic differs by one note: D♭ instead of C.

To learn it, play the Em shape from the 1st fret slowly, saying each note name, then link it to the next position up. Land on F at the end of each run, and you'll hear the scale settle on its root.

F Minor Pentatonic scale FAQs

Which notes make up the F minor pentatonic scale?

F, A♭, B♭, C and E♭. The formula is 1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7.

Which scale has the same notes as F minor pentatonic?

A♭ major pentatonic. The five notes are identical; only the root changes.

Where do I play the F minor pentatonic scale on guitar?

Start from the root on the low E string at the 1st fret. The Em shape from the 1st fret is the lowest of the five positions, and the other four continue up the neck to the 12th fret and beyond.

Learn more

The pentatonic scale on guitar explains how the scale is built and how to use it, and the pentatonic scale guitar lessons set out what to learn next. The scale library has every scale in every key.