F whole-tone scale on cavaquinho
The F whole-tone scale has 6 notes: F G A B C♯ E♭ (F, G, A, B, C sharp, and E flat).
- F 1
- G 2
- A 3
- B ♯4
- C♯ C sharp ♯5
- E♭ E flat ♭7
Whole neck: every note of the scale up to fret 17. The root (F) is highlighted.
Positions as text
Position 1 (frets 3 to 7), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 3 (F), 5 (G), 7 (A)
- string 3: 4 (B), 6 (C♯)
- string 2: 4 (E♭), 6 (F)
- string 1: 5 (G), 7 (A)
Position 2 (frets 5 to 9), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 5 (G), 7 (A), 9 (B)
- string 3: 6 (C♯), 8 (E♭)
- string 2: 6 (F), 8 (G)
- string 1: 7 (A), 9 (B)
Position 3 (frets 7 to 11), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 7 (A), 9 (B), 11 (C♯)
- string 3: 8 (E♭), 10 (F)
- string 2: 8 (G), 10 (A)
- string 1: 9 (B), 11 (C♯)
Position 4 (frets 9 to 13), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 9 (B), 11 (C♯), 13 (E♭)
- string 3: 10 (F), 12 (G)
- string 2: 10 (A), 12 (B)
- string 1: 11 (C♯), 13 (E♭)
Position 5 (frets 11 to 15), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 11 (C♯), 13 (E♭), 15 (F)
- string 3: 12 (G), 14 (A)
- string 2: 12 (B), 14 (C♯)
- string 1: 13 (E♭), 15 (F)
Position 6 (frets 13 to 17), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 13 (E♭), 15 (F), 17 (G)
- string 3: 14 (A), 16 (B)
- string 2: 14 (C♯), 16 (E♭)
- string 1: 15 (F), 17 (G)
Fretboard positions
Each position fits within 5 frets, with 2 to 3 notes per string, and starts on a scale note on the lowest string. Position 1 starts on the root (F).
Use Degrees to see the role of each note (1 is the root) and Listen to hear the selected position going up and down.
Formula
- F
- W
- G
- W
- A
- W
- B
- W
- C♯
- W
- E♭
- W
- F
Degrees: 1 · 2 · 3 · ♯4 · ♯5 · ♭7. Steps: W – W – W – W – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step).
About the whole-tone scale
Six notes a whole step apart. Mysterious and dreamlike; fits augmented chords.
Scales with the same notes
More F scales
- Major
- Natural minor
- Harmonic minor
- Melodic minor
- Major pentatonic
- Minor pentatonic
- Blues
- Major blues
- Dorian
- Phrygian
- Lydian
- Mixolydian
- Locrian
- Nordestina (Brazilian baião)
- Phrygian dominant
- Whole-tone
- Diminished (whole-half)
- Dominant diminished (half-whole)
Whole-tone in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the F whole-tone scale?
The notes of the F whole-tone scale are F, G, A, B, C sharp, and E flat. The root, degree 1, is F.
What is the formula of the F whole-tone scale?
In degrees: 1 · 2 · 3 · ♯4 · ♯5 · ♭7. In steps between the notes: W – W – W – W – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step).
How do you play the F whole-tone scale on cavaquinho?
Each position fits within 5 frets, with 2 to 3 notes per string, and starts on a scale note on the lowest string. Position 1 starts on the root (F). There are 6 positions on cavaquinho, each with the full fingering.