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F♯ minor pentatonic Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, F#, A, B, C#, E at frets 0, 2, 5, 7, 9, 12

A string: A, B, C#, E, F#, A at frets 0, 2, 4, 7, 9, 12

D string: E, F#, A, B, C# at frets 2, 4, 7, 9, 11

G string: A, B, C#, E, F# at frets 2, 4, 6, 9, 11

B string: B, C#, E, F#, A, B at frets 0, 2, 5, 7, 10, 12

High E string: E, F#, A, B, C#, E at frets 0, 2, 5, 7, 9, 12

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F# minor pentatonic

The minor pentatonic is the most played guitar scale in existence: root, flat 3rd, 4th, 5th and flat 7th. Its five notes fit one comfortable two-notes-per-string box, which made it the backbone of blues, rock and countless classic solos. Because it omits the 2nd and 6th it works over almost any chord in a minor key, and adding the flat 5th turns it into the minor blues scale.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

F♯

I

A

bIII

B

IV

C♯

V

E

bVII

Same notes, different mode

F# minor pentatonic uses the same notes as the scales below. Start from a different note and you get a new mode built on the very same note set.

A major pentatonicB egyptianC# malkos ragaE ritusen

minor pentatonic in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • Learn box 1 at the fret of F# on the low E string first, but escape it early: slide up to box 2 on the B and E strings for higher bends.
  • The 4th (B) bent a whole step up to the 5th (C#) is the single most-used bend in blues; practice hitting it in tune.
  • Rub the flat 3rd (A) against a major-key backing for blues grit, or curl it slightly sharp toward the major 3rd like the classic players.
  • Add the flat 5th (C) as a passing note and you have the F# blues scale; use it in transit, not as a resting place.

How to play F♯ minor pentatonic on guitar

Both E strings, plus open A and B, sit inside F# minor pentatonic. None of the four is F# itself, so ringing open strings color the key without ever landing on the root. Box one starts at fret 2. A capo at fret 2 recasts everything as E minor pentatonic, which means every open-position E move transfers up two frets. A major pentatonic occupies this same box with its tonic 3 semitones above yours, so one fingering covers both keys.

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