Guitar · Level 4 · Beginner
The Andalusian cadence in F minor on Guitar
Don’t just read about The Andalusian cadence in F minor. Play it.
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This descending four-chord pattern comes from flamenco and turns up in rock and film music. Its bass walks steadily down to a major V chord.
Fm
Notes: F · A♭ · C
E♭
Notes: E♭ · G · B♭
D♭
Notes: D♭ · F · A♭
C
Notes: C · E · G
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord on its own: Fm, E♭, D♭ and C. Press play on the chord card, then match the sound.
- Press just behind the fret with your fingertips and keep the thumb relaxed behind the neck.
- Set the tempo to 57 BPM and play the progression with one chord per bar. Let the bass note of each chord step down one scale note at a time.
- Strum down on every beat at first, then try down–down–up–up–down–up.
- Raise the tempo to 76 BPM once you can play the loop three times without stopping.
- Record one take, listen back and check for the stepwise fall in the lowest notes.
Listen for
Aim for the stepwise fall in the lowest notes. A common mistake is playing V as minor; it must be major to sound Spanish.
Why it works
The major V borrows a raised seventh from the harmonic minor scale, giving the strong leading tone.
F minor has 4 flats; its relative major key is A♭ major.
Questions
What are the chords in i–♭VII–♭VI–V in F minor?
In F minor the progression is Fm | E♭ | D♭ | C.
What is the key signature of F minor?
F minor has 4 flats. Its relative major is A♭ major.
Is this lesson right for my level?
This is a level 4 lesson (beginner). If it feels too hard, start with “The 12-bar blues”.
Your hands learn faster than your eyes.
Reading a chord chart is step one. Play it to a metronome, record it, and hear yourself get better, all in one app.
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