Scale reference
F minor scale
F – G – A♭ – B♭ – C – D♭ – E♭
The F minor scale runs F, G, A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭ and then back to F. It follows the natural minor step pattern — tone, semitone, tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone — which is what makes it minor rather than any other kind of scale.
It uses each letter name once, which is why it is written with 4 flats.
The notes
The step pattern
Every minor scale uses the same sequence of steps. Change the starting note and the pattern is what you keep.
- F1tone
- G2semi
- A♭3tone
- B♭4tone
- C5semi
- D♭6tone
- E♭7tone
- F8
Scale degrees
| Degree | Note | Name | Interval from F | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F | Tonic | Perfect unison | 0 |
| 2 | G | Supertonic | Major second | 2 |
| 3 | A♭ | Mediant | Minor third | 3 |
| 4 | B♭ | Subdominant | Perfect fourth | 5 |
| 5 | C | Dominant | Perfect fifth | 7 |
| 6 | D♭ | Submediant | Minor sixth | 8 |
| 7 | E♭ | Subtonic | Minor seventh | 10 |
The other two minor forms
Minor comes in three forms. They share the first five notes and differ near the top.
| Form | Notes | Why it exists |
|---|---|---|
| Natural minor | F – G – A♭ – B♭ – C – D♭ – E♭ | The plain form, matching the key signature. |
| Harmonic minor | F – G – A♭ – B♭ – C – D♭ – E | Raises the seventh degree, restoring the leading tone. |
| Melodic minor (ascending) | F – G – A♭ – B♭ – C – D – E | Raises the sixth as well, smoothing the step-and-a-half gap. |
A piece in F minor will move between all three depending on what the harmony needs at that moment. See minor scales for how they are chosen.
Key signature
F minor is the scale of the key of F minor, which has 4 flats. The key page lists the seven chords built on these notes.