What is the F minor scale on piano?
The F minor scale is written with four flats in the key signature - B♭, E♭, A♭, and D♭. It is the relative minor scale of A♭ major and the parallel minor scale of F major.
This tutorial teaches how to play the F natural minor scale, F harmonic minor scale, and F melodic minor scale. You’ll learn fingering and technique for playing the two-octave F minor scales and arpeggios.
Supplement your practice with this deep dive on the
F minor piano scale. You can also download our
Ultimate Guide to All Minor Scales for more tips on playing in minor.
What are the intervals in the F minor scale?
The F natural minor piano scale starts with F. Then it travels up a whole step – half step – whole step – whole step – half step – whole step – whole step. Starting on F, take a whole step up to G, a half step to A♭, a whole step to B♭, a whole step to C, a half step to D♭, a whole step to E♭, and a whole step to F. In solfege, natural minor is DO – RE – ME – FA – SO – LE – TE – DO.
The three different forms of the F minor scale are F natural minor, F harmonic minor, and F melodic minor. The natural F minor scale is illustrated below.
Is F natural minor good for beginners?
This minor scale is a little trickier for pianists. It uses a slightly different finger pattern in the right hand to keep the thumb playing on white keys. This means the right hand, beginning with the thumb on F, plays 1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4. Notice that the thumb has to pass under the fourth finger, making this scale somewhat awkward on the right hand.
What notes are in the F minor arpeggio?
The F minor arpeggio uses the notes F, A♭, and C. These notes make up the F minor triad, but when played individually, instead of all together, they form an arpeggio, or “broken chord.”
What is the F harmonic minor scale on the piano?
The F harmonic minor scale is identical to F natural minor, except that its 7th scale degree is raised a half step, from TE to TI. The final notes of the harmonic minor scale are LE-TI-DO in solfege. The larger interval between LE and TI (the 6th and 7th notes) is characteristic of a harmonic scale.
The F harmonic minor scale is F, a whole step to G, a half step to A♭, a whole step to B♭, a whole step to C, a half step to D♭, a whole step plus a half step to E natural, and a half step to F.
What is the F melodic minor scale on the piano?
The F melodic minor scale is played differently ascending and descending. When ascending, both the 6th and 7th scale degrees are raised a half step, making the top half of the scale sound just like a major scale. Going back down the scale, the 6th and 7th scale degrees are lowered, and it sounds the same as a natural minor scale. In compositions using a melodic minor scale, the composer chooses whether to use the raised 6th and 7th or the natural minor’s 6th and 7th throughout the piece.
The F melodic minor scale ascending is played F, G, A♭, B♭, C, D, E, F. The descending form is played F, E♭, D♭, C, B♭, A♭, G, F.
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