F# Minor Pentatonic Scale on Piano

The F# Minor Pentatonic scale sounds raw and vocal. It runs F# – A – B – C# – E and is written with two sharps.

It shares its key signature with A major, its relative major.

Interval Circle

W+HWWW+HWCC#5DD#Eb7FF#1GG#Ab3A#B4

All twelve semitones, root at the top. Filled dots are the notes of the scale, the outer numbers are their degrees, and W / H mark the whole and half steps between them.

About This Scale

The same five-note shape rotated to start on its relative minor. It is the backbone of blues, rock and soul improvisation — five notes that stay usable over an entire minor or dominant progression.

Fingering

Right Hand (ascending)

2-1-2-3-1-2

Left Hand (ascending)

2-1-3-2-1-2

Why this fingering

2 black keys (F#, C#) sit in this scale, and the thumb has to avoid them. In the right hand the thumb crosses under onto A and E; let the elbow drift slightly outward as it passes rather than twisting the wrist.

The blue dots on the piano below show which keys to press — they turn green when you play the right note.

Notes in F# Minor Pentatonic

NoteIntervalRH FingerLH Finger
F#F#4Root (1)22
AA4Minor 3rd (b3)11
BB4Perfect 4th (4)23
C#C#5Perfect 5th (5)32
EE5Minor 7th (b7)11
F#F#5Octave (8)22

Other Minor Pentatonic Scales

C Minor Pentatonic
C – Eb – F – G – Bb
C# Minor Pentatonic
C# – E – F# – G# – B
D Minor Pentatonic
D – F – G – A – C
Eb Minor Pentatonic
Eb – Gb – Ab – Bb – Db
E Minor Pentatonic
E – G – A – B – D
F Minor Pentatonic
F – Ab – Bb – C – Eb
G Minor Pentatonic
G – Bb – C – D – F
G# Minor Pentatonic
G# – B – C# – D# – F#
A Minor Pentatonic
A – C – D – E – G
Bb Minor Pentatonic
Bb – Db – Eb – F – Ab
B Minor Pentatonic
B – D – E – F# – A

Other F# Scales

F# Major
F# – G# – A# – B – C# – D# – E#
F# Natural Minor
F# – G# – A – B – C# – D – E
F# Harmonic Minor
F# – G# – A – B – C# – D – E#
F# Melodic Minor
F# – G# – A – B – C# – D# – E#
F# Major Pentatonic
F# – G# – A# – C# – D#
F# Blues
F# – A – B – C – C# – E
F# Dorian
F# – G# – A – B – C# – D# – E
F# Mixolydian
F# – G# – A# – B – C# – D# – E
F# Chromatic
F# – G – G# – A – A# – B – C – C# – D – D# – E – F