Learn the F natural minor scale — notes, intervals, chords, modes, and more.
The F natural minor scale contains the following notes:
F – G – A♭ – B♭ – C – D♭ – E♭The scale degrees of the F natural minor scale are:
1, 2, ♭3, 4, 5, ♭6, ♭7| Scale Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | F |
| 2 | G |
| ♭3 | A♭ |
| 4 | B♭ |
| 5 | C |
| ♭6 | D♭ |
| ♭7 | E♭ |
The F natural minor scale uses the interval pattern W, H, W, W, H, W, W
| From | To | Step |
|---|---|---|
| F | G | W |
| G | A♭ | H |
| A♭ | B♭ | W |
| B♭ | C | W |
| C | D♭ | H |
| D♭ | E♭ | W |
| E♭ | F | W |
| Scale Degree | Note | Interval from F |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | F | Perfect Unison |
| 2 | G | Major 2nd |
| ♭3 | A♭ | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | B♭ | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | C | Perfect 5th |
| ♭6 | D♭ | Minor 6th |
| ♭7 | E♭ | Minor 7th |
| Degree | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| i | Fm | F, A♭, C |
| ii° | Gdim | G, B♭, D♭ |
| III | A♭ | A♭, C, E♭ |
| iv | B♭m | B♭, D♭, F |
| v | Cm | C, E♭, G |
| VI | D♭ | D♭, F, A♭ |
| VII | E♭ | E♭, G, B♭ |
| Degree | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| i7 | Fm7 | F, A♭, C, E♭ |
| iiø7 | Gm7♭5 | G, B♭, D♭, F |
| IIImaj7 | A♭maj7 | A♭, C, E♭, G |
| iv7 | B♭m7 | B♭, D♭, F, A♭ |
| v7 | Cm7 | C, E♭, G, B♭ |
| VImaj7 | D♭maj7 | D♭, F, A♭, C |
| VII7 | E♭7 | E♭, G, B♭, D♭ |
The modes of F natural minor use the same notes but start on different scale degrees.
| Mode | Starting note | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A♭ Ionian | A♭ | A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G |
| B♭ Dorian | B♭ | B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G, A♭ |
| C Phrygian | C | C, D♭, E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭ |
| D♭ Lydian | D♭ | D♭, E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭, C |
| E♭ Mixolydian | E♭ | E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭, C, D♭ |
| F Aeolian | F | F, G, A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭ |
| G Locrian | G | G, A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F |
The relative major is A♭ major. A♭ major uses the exact same 7 notes as F natural minor — natural minor is simply the 6th mode (Aeolian) of the major scale.
F natural minor has a minor 3rd (A♭), minor 6th (D♭), and minor 7th (E♭), while F major has a major 3rd (A), major 6th (D), and major 7th (E). These three flattened degrees give natural minor its darker, more melancholic character.
The only difference is the 6th degree. F natural minor has a minor 6th (D♭), while F Dorian has a major 6th. That raised 6th makes Dorian sound slightly brighter and more versatile, while natural minor has a deeper, more traditional minor quality.