F Blues Diminished Scale on Guitar: Notes

How it is built

F1G♭♭2A♭♭3A3C♭♭5C5D6E♭♭7

Formula 1, ♭2, ♭3, 3, ♭5, 5, 6, ♭7

Chords these notes build

F1F Major F Minor F 5th F 7th F Minor 7th F 7th Flat 5 F Minor 7th Flat 5th F 6th F Minor 6th F Diminished F Diminished 7th
G♭♭2F♯ Diminished F♯ Diminished 7th F♯ Diminished Major 7th
A♭♭3A♭ Major A♭ Minor A♭ 5th A♭ 7th A♭ Minor 7th A♭ 7th Flat 5 A♭ Minor 7th Flat 5th A♭ 6th A♭ Minor 6th A♭ Diminished A♭ Diminished 7th
A3A Diminished A Diminished 7th A Diminished Major 7th
C♭♭5B Major B Minor B 5th B 7th B Minor 7th B 7th Flat 5 B Minor 7th Flat 5th B 6th B Minor 6th B Diminished B Diminished 7th
C5C Diminished C Diminished 7th C Diminished Major 7th
D6D Major D Minor D 5th D 7th D Minor 7th D 7th Flat 5 D Minor 7th Flat 5th D 6th D Minor 6th D Diminished D Diminished 7th
E♭♭7E♭ Diminished E♭ Diminished 7th E♭ Diminished Major 7th

How do you play the F blues diminished scale on guitar?

F blues diminished in box 1 runs from fret 1 to fret 4, 17 notes across 6 strings, from F on the low E string at fret 1 up to A♭ on the high e string at fret 4. The root falls on the low E string at fret 1, the D string at fret 3 and the high e string at fret 1.

Every note in this box, string by string

String	Frets	Notes
6 (E)	1, 2, 4	F, G♭, A♭
5 (A)	2, 3	C♭, C
4 (D)	1, 3, 4	E♭, F, G♭
3 (G)	1, 2, 4	A♭, A, C♭
2 (B)	1, 3, 4	C, D, E♭
1 (e)	1, 2, 4	F, G♭, A♭

Box 2 · frets 4–7

F blues diminished in box 2 runs from fret 4 to fret 7, 17 notes across 6 strings, from A♭ on the low E string at fret 4 up to C♭ on the high e string at fret 7. The root falls on the B string at fret 6.

Every note in this box, string by string

String	Frets	Notes
6 (E)	4, 5, 7	A♭, A, C♭
5 (A)	5, 6	D, E♭
4 (D)	4, 6, 7	G♭, A♭, A
3 (G)	4, 5, 7	C♭, C, D
2 (B)	4, 6, 7	E♭, F, G♭
1 (e)	4, 5, 7	A♭, A, C♭

Box 3 · frets 7–10

F blues diminished in box 3 runs from fret 7 to fret 10, 17 notes across 6 strings, from C♭ on the low E string at fret 7 up to D on the high e string at fret 10. The root falls on the A string at fret 8 and the G string at fret 10.

Every note in this box, string by string

String	Frets	Notes
6 (E)	7, 8, 10	C♭, C, D
5 (A)	8, 9	F, G♭
4 (D)	7, 9, 10	A, C♭, C
3 (G)	7, 8, 10	D, E♭, F
2 (B)	7, 9, 10	G♭, A♭, A
1 (e)	7, 8, 10	C♭, C, D

Box 4 · frets 10–13

F blues diminished in box 4 runs from fret 10 to fret 13, 17 notes across 6 strings, from D on the low E string at fret 10 up to F on the high e string at fret 13. The root falls on the low E string at fret 13, the G string at fret 10 and the high e string at fret 13.

Every note in this box, string by string

String	Frets	Notes
6 (E)	10, 11, 13	D, E♭, F
5 (A)	11, 12	A♭, A
4 (D)	10, 12, 13	C, D, E♭
3 (G)	10, 11, 13	F, G♭, A♭
2 (B)	10, 12, 13	A, C♭, C
1 (e)	10, 11, 13	D, E♭, F

Why it sounds like that

F blues diminished adds a ♭2 to F hungarian major, keeping the same ♭3, 3, ♭5, 5, 6, ♭7. The scale alternates half and whole steps, creating a tritone between F and C♭. Compare it with F hungarian major to hear the added minor 2nd.

When to use it

F blues diminished fits F major and F minor chords, adding tension with the ♭2 and ♭5. Use the supplied linked chords to hear its tension without adding unsupported harmony.

Which position to practise

Practise Box 1 first: the root sits on string 6, fret 1, covering frets 1–4 and setting up the next position.

Common questions

What notes are in F blues diminished?

F blues diminished contains F, G♭, A♭, A, C♭, C, D, and E♭. The scale includes both minor and major thirds, a diminished fifth, and a minor seventh.

Which chords work with F blues diminished?

F blues diminished works over F major and F minor chords. The scale's ♭2 and ♭5 create tension that resolves to chord tones.

Is F blues diminished the same as F diminished?

F blues diminished is an eight-note scale, not a diminished seventh chord. It combines a blues scale with a half-whole diminished pattern.