F natural minor
Four flats, B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭. Seven notes: F G A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭. Try the key’s seven chords in different places on the neck. Press a shape to hear it and see its notes.
Across one chord in different positions. Down the chords in one position. | ||||
| iMainFmF · A♭ · C | ||||
| ii°G°G · B♭ · D♭ | ||||
| IIIMainA♭A♭ · C · E♭ | ||||
| ivB♭mB♭ · D♭ · F | ||||
| vCmC · E♭ · G | ||||
| VIMainD♭D♭ · F · A♭ | ||||
| VIIMainE♭E♭ · G · B♭ |
Sounds good
Three patterns to try
Walk up to B♭m. Strum Fm, pick G and A♭ on the way up, land on B♭m. Listen to how the bass connects the chords.
Triads on the top three strings. Three notes, three places, all Fm. Try them when a full six-string chord feels too busy.
- LowFret 1
- MiddleFrets 4–6
- HighFrets 8–10
Same chords, higher. The four main chords in frets 1 to 4, then again in frets 5 to 9. Listen to how the higher voicings change the sound.
Exercises in F minor
Four drills, with a click
Play along with the metronome. The neck above highlights each step.
- Four chords in one positionFm – A♭ – D♭ – E♭ without leaving frets 3 to 6.70 bpmLevel 1
- Climb with one chordFm in all four places, low to high. Hear it brighten.60 bpmLevel 1
- Walk up to B♭mStrum Fm, then walk the bass G – A♭ into B♭m.90 bpmLevel 2
- Scale, then chordsPlay the scale in frets 5 to 9, then the four chords there.70 bpmLevel 2
Why four flats
C minor with D lowered
- F
- G
- A♭
- B♭
- C
- D♭
- E♭
- F
- G
- A♭
- B♭
- C
- D
- E♭
F minor is C minor with D lowered to D♭.
Harmonic minor
Harmonic minor change
Raising the seventh to E changes Cm to C major on the fifth degree.