F Minor Pentatonic Scale
Notes in the F Minor Pentatonic Scale
| Degree | Name | Note | Frequency (A=440) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | F | 349.228 Hz |
| ♭3 | Minor Mediant | Ab | 415.305 Hz |
| 4 | Subdominant | Bb | 466.164 Hz |
| 5 | Dominant | C | 261.626 Hz |
| ♭7 | Subtonic | Eb | 311.127 Hz |
Interval Pattern
| Step | Interval | Semitones | From Note | To Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 2nd (WH) | 3 | F | Ab |
| 2 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | Ab | Bb |
| 3 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | Bb | C |
| 4 | Aug 2nd (WH) | 3 | C | Eb |
| 5 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | Eb | F |
Chords Built on Scale Degrees
| Degree | Note | Chord | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F | F (complex) | other |
| ♭3 | Ab | Ab (complex) | other |
| 4 | Bb | Bb (complex) | other |
| 5 | C | C (complex) | other |
| ♭7 | Eb | Eb (complex) | other |
Key Signature
1 ♭ — The F key signature uses Bb.
F Minor Pentatonic Scale in Practice
The F Minor Pentatonic Scale uses the key signature of 1 flat (Bb). F major has one flat (Bb) and a warm, pastoral quality. It is one of the most natural keys for wind instruments and is frequently used in orchestral and choral music. On guitar, F positions offer comfortable transposing instrument keys for this scale.
The minor pentatonic scale is the most commonly used scale in blues and rock music. It contains five notes with a raw, expressive sound ideal for improvisation.
Tuning Frequencies Across Temperaments
Frequencies shown at A=440 Hz. View full temperament data for any note.
| Note | Equal Temp. | Pythagorean | Just Intonation |
|---|---|---|---|
| F | 349.228 Hz | 347.654 Hz | 348.834 Hz |
| Ab | 415.305 Hz | 417.657 Hz | 418.601 Hz |
| Bb | 466.164 Hz | 463.538 Hz | 470.926 Hz |
| C | 261.626 Hz | 260.740 Hz | 261.626 Hz |
| Eb | 311.127 Hz | 309.026 Hz | 313.951 Hz |
Related Scales
Transposing Instruments: F Minor Pentatonic Scale
F is a natural key for B♭ instruments (trumpet, clarinet, tenor sax), which sound a major second lower than written. B♭ instruments reading in C produce F concert pitch. E♭ instruments (alto sax, baritone sax) reading in F sound a major sixth lower.