F# Minor Pentatonic Scale
The F# minor pentatonic scale (also written Gb) — F# A B C# E — with its intervals, the chords it makes and every position on the guitar neck.
Also written Gb minor pentatonic. Gb and F# are the same pitch — F# is the spelling in common use.
Tap any note on the neck.
Swipe the neck sideways to see the higher frets.
F# minor pentatonic is F# natural minor without the 2 or b6 — no G#, no D.
F# minor pentatonic scale notes and intervals
F# minor pentatonic has 5 notes. Each is named by its distance from the root, which is the same in every key — learn the numbers once and every minor pentatonic scale reads the same.
Step pattern from the root: W+H – W – W – W+H – W (W is a whole step, two frets; H is a half step, one fret; W+H is three frets).
Scales it shares notes with:
- A major pentatonic — relative major pentatonic — the same five notes
- F# natural minor — the full natural minor scale it comes from
F# minor pentatonic scale positions on guitar — all 5
F# minor pentatonic is played in five box shapes that tile the neck between frets 2 and 14. Each box shares frets with the next, so you change shape without stopping. Position 1 sits lowest.
Position 1 — frets 2–5
Starts on the 1 (F#) on the 6th string. Practice this position → · Box 1 on its own page
Position 2 — frets 4–7
Starts on the b3 (A) on the 6th string. Practice this position → · Box 2 on its own page
Position 3 — frets 6–10
Starts on the 4 (B) on the 6th string. Practice this position → · Box 3 on its own page
Position 4 — frets 9–12
Starts on the 5 (C#) on the 6th string. Practice this position → · Box 4 on its own page
Position 5 — frets 11–14
Starts on the b7 (E) on the 6th string. Practice this position → · Box 5 on its own page
Each box on its own page, with how it joins its neighbours →
Chords to play F# minor pentatonic over
F# minor pentatonic is the minor scale with the 2 and the b6 left out — the notes most likely to clash — so it works across the chords of F# minor and over the dominant seventh chords of a blues in F#. It is not an equally good fit on every one of them: over each chord, aim for that chord’s own notes and let the rest pass.
How to practice the F# minor pentatonic scale
- Start with position 1 at frets 2–5, slowly, until every note lands on the click. The loop keeps the shape and the tempo for you.
- Add five beats a minute each time it feels easy. When straight runs get dull, play the same position in thirds — the pattern that turns a scale into lines.
- See every F# minor pentatonic note across the whole neck on the Fretboard, and find each box again an octave up.
Find out what you should learn next. Five questions and Guitar Theory Studio builds you a four-week plan through the fretboard, chords, scales, arpeggios and ear training — week one free.
Build my free plan →