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F♯ minor six diminished Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E#, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D, D# at frets 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11

A string: A, B, C#, D, D#, E#, F#, G#, A at frets 0, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12

D string: D, D#, E#, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D at frets 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12

G string: G#, A, B, C#, D, D#, E#, F# at frets 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11

B string: B, C#, D, D#, E#, F#, G#, A, B at frets 0, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12

High E string: E#, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D, D# at frets 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11

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F# minor six diminished

The minor six diminished scale is Barry Harris's minor sixth diminished scale: a minor 6th chord and a diminished 7th chord interleaved, eight notes alternating chord and tension. Run it and every other note forms the m6 chord, the engine of his harmonic system. It turns a static minor chord into continuous internal motion.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

F♯

I

G♯

II

A

bIII

B

IV

C♯

V

D

bVI

D♯

VI

E♯

VII

minor six diminished in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • This is Barry Harris's minor sixth diminished scale: alternate the F#m6 chord tones with the diminished tones as you climb, chord-tone on the beat.
  • Harmonize every scale step as either the m6 chord or the diminished 7th; that alternation is instant movement over a static minor chord.
  • Use both 6ths deliberately: natural 6th (D#) belongs to the m6 sound, flat 6th (D) to the diminished layer passing between V and VI.
  • Over a minor ii-V-i in F# minor, this single scale supplies voice-led chords for the whole bar of tonic minor.

How to play F♯ minor six diminished on guitar

Open A, D and B all sit in the key without the tonic among them, so they work as passing tones under a fretted phrase. Roots occupy fret 2 on both E strings and fret 9 on the A. Capo at 2 makes the fingering E minor six diminished, so one shape answers for two keys. Five sharps in the signature. Fret 6 ends the root box, which lets you keep the first shape under one hand.

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