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F gypsy minor scale on guitar
F gypsy minor uses F, G, A♭, C♭, C, D♭, E. Box 1 has the root on string 6, fret 1.
How it is built
Formula 1, 2, ♭3, ♭5, 5, ♭6, 7
How do you play the F gypsy minor scale on guitar?
F gypsy minor in box 1 runs from fret 1 to fret 4, 15 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, 3, 4 | F, G, A♭ |
| 5 (A) | 2, 3, 4 | C♭, C, D♭ |
| 4 (D) | 2, 3 | E, F |
| 3 (G) | 1, 4 | A♭, C♭ |
| 2 (B) | 1, 2 | C, D♭ |
| 1 (e) | 1, 3, 4 | F, G, A♭ |
Box 2 · frets 3–6
F gypsy minor in box 2 runs from fret 3 to fret 6, 14 notes across 6 strings, from G on the low E string at fret 3 up to A♭ on the high e string at fret 4. The root falls on the D string at fret 3 and the B string at fret 6.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 3, 4 | G, A♭ |
| 5 (A) | 3, 4 | C, D♭ |
| 4 (D) | 3, 5, 6 | F, G, A♭ |
| 3 (G) | 4, 5, 6 | C♭, C, D♭ |
| 2 (B) | 5, 6 | E, F |
| 1 (e) | 3, 4 | G, A♭ |
Box 3 · frets 7–10
F gypsy minor in box 3 runs from fret 7 to fret 10, 15 notes across 6 strings, from C♭ on the low E string at fret 7 up to D♭ on the high e string at fret 9. 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, 9 | C♭, C, D♭ |
| 5 (A) | 7, 8, 10 | E, F, G |
| 4 (D) | 9, 10 | C♭, C |
| 3 (G) | 9, 10 | E, F |
| 2 (B) | 8, 9 | G, A♭ |
| 1 (e) | 7, 8, 9 | C♭, C, D♭ |
Box 4 · frets 9–12
F gypsy minor in box 4 runs from fret 9 to fret 12, 14 notes across 6 strings, from D♭ on the low E string at fret 9 up to E on the high e string at fret 12. The root falls on the G string at fret 10.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 9, 12 | D♭, E |
| 5 (A) | 10, 11 | G, A♭ |
| 4 (D) | 9, 10, 11 | C♭, C, D♭ |
| 3 (G) | 9, 10, 12 | E, F, G |
| 2 (B) | 9, 12 | A♭, C♭ |
| 1 (e) | 9, 12 | D♭, E |
Why it sounds like that
F gypsy minor is F harmonic minor with the fourth degree raised: B♭ becomes C♭. The leap from A♭ to C♭ is 1½ steps. Compare with F harmonic minor to hear the difference.
When to use it
Use F gypsy minor over F minor or F 5th chords. The ♭5 adds spice to F minor and F 5th. It suits Middle Eastern and jazz fusion styles.
Which position to practise
Practise Box 1 first. It places the root on string 6, fret 1 and covers frets 1–4, preparing for Box 2.
Common questions
What notes are in F gypsy minor?
F, G, A♭, C♭, C, D♭, E. The fourth degree is flattened. The seventh is major.
Which chords fit F gypsy minor?
F minor and F 5th are the tonic chords. The flat fifth adds tension. Use it in minor-key contexts.
How does F gypsy minor differ from F harmonic minor?
F gypsy minor raises the fourth degree from B♭ to C♭. This creates a 1½-step gap between A♭ and C♭. The rest of the scale matches F harmonic minor.