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F Melodic Minor Scale – Guitar

A minor scale with a raised 6th and 7th: smooth and modern, a jazz staple. Here it is in F: the notes, the whole neck, all five boxes with TAB, and a backing track to practise over.

Notes in the F melodic minor scale

Formula: 1 – 2 – b3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7. Use it to solo over songs in F minor, and over F blues and rock progressions.

F melodic minor scale on the whole neck

EADGBe123456789101112131415EGAbBbCDEGBbCDEGAbBbCDEGAbBbCDEGAbBbCDEGAbBbCDEGAbBbCDEGAbBbCDEG
F Melodic Minor Scale on the whole neck, frets 0-15. Gold = the root (F).
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The 5 boxes (positions) with TAB

Each box is one hand position. Learn Box 1 first: play it up with the TAB, then back down, then move to the next box – together they cover the whole neck.

Box 1 · frets 1–5

EADGBe12345EGAbBbCDDEGGAbBbCCDEEGAb
F Melodic Minor Scale, box 1
e|-------------------------------1-3-4-|
B|-------------------------1-3-5-------|
G|-------------------1-3-5-------------|
D|-------------2-3-5-------------------|
A|-------1-3-5-------------------------|
E|-1-3-4-------------------------------|

Box 2 · frets 2–7

EADGBe234567GAbBbCDEEGAbBbCDDEGAbBb
F Melodic Minor Scale, box 2
e|---------------------------------3-4-6-|
B|---------------------------3-5-6-------|
G|---------------------3-5-7-------------|
D|-------------2-3-5-6-------------------|
A|-------3-5-7---------------------------|
E|-3-4-6---------------------------------|

Box 3 · frets 4–10

EADGBe45678910AbBbCDDEGGAbBbCCDEEGAbAbBbCD
F Melodic Minor Scale, box 3
e|-------------------------------------------------------------4--6--8--10-|
B|-------------------------------------------------5--6--8--9--------------|
G|-------------------------------------5--7--9--10-------------------------|
D|-------------------------5--6--8--10-------------------------------------|
A|-------------5--7--8--10-------------------------------------------------|
E|-4--6--8--10-------------------------------------------------------------|

Box 4 · frets 7–12

EADGBe789101112CDEEGAbBbCDDEGGAbBbCDE
F Melodic Minor Scale, box 4
e|----------------------------------------------------8--10-12-|
B|-------------------------------------------8--9--11----------|
G|-------------------------------7--9--10-12-------------------|
D|----------------------8--10-12-------------------------------|
A|----------7--8--10-11----------------------------------------|
E|-8--10-12----------------------------------------------------|

Box 5 · frets 9–14

EADGBe91011121314DEGAbBbCDEEGAbAbBbCDE
F Melodic Minor Scale, box 5
e|-------------------------------------------------10-12-13-|
B|----------------------------------------9--11-13----------|
G|----------------------------9--10-12-13-------------------|
D|-------------------10-12-14-------------------------------|
A|----------10-11-13----------------------------------------|
E|-10-12-13-------------------------------------------------|

F minor backing track

Play the boxes over this, starting and ending phrases on the gold root notes.

Slow Blues Guitar Backing Track F Minor – erto sound

Songs in F minor

These songs are in F minor, so this is a scale that fits for soloing over them:

All songs in F minor →

Other scales in F

Melodic Minor Scale in other keys

Put it to use: solo with it, step by step, starting with three notes.

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FAQ

What notes are in the F melodic minor scale?

F, G, Ab, Bb, C, D, E. The formula is 1 2 b3 4 5 6 7.

Where do I start playing the F melodic minor scale on guitar?

Start with Box 1, frets 1–5. The root note F is on the low E string at fret 1.