# F Major piano chord (F)

F contains F, A and C. A major third with a perfect fifth above the root. Every note is a white key.

- Canonical page: https://piano.org/chords/major/f/
- Entity: chord:major:f
- Notes: F A C
- Formula: 1 3 5
- Intervals from root: P1, M3, P5
- Interval stack (semitones): 4 3
- Also written: F, F, F major
- Parameters: A440, 12-TET, 165 mm octave, spans centre to centre

## Construction

| Degree | Note | Interval from root | Semitones |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | F | Perfect unison | 0 |
| 3 | A | Major third | 4 |
| 5 | C | Perfect fifth | 7 |

## Fingering

Rest your right hand over the notes with finger 1 on F, finger 3 on A, finger 5 on C. The left hand mirrors it.
Right hand 1-3-5, left hand 5-3-1. Source: piano.org fingering method v1.

## Inversions

| Position | Bass | Notes in order | Figured bass | Span |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Root position | F | F3 A3 C4 | 5/3 | 7 st, 96 mm |
| First inversion (F/A) | A | A3 C4 F4 | 6/3 | 8 st, 110 mm |
| Second inversion (F/C) | C | C4 F4 A4 | 6/4 | 9 st, 124 mm |

## Voicings (5)

| Voicing | Notes | Span | Relation | Omits or adds |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Close, root position | F3 A3 C4 | 7 st, 96 mm | identical | none |
| Close, first inversion | A3 C4 F4 | 8 st, 110 mm | identical | none |
| Close, second inversion | C4 F4 A4 | 9 st, 124 mm | identical | none |
| Open, fifth on top | F2 C3 A3 | 16 st, 220 mm | identical | none |
| Root and third only | F3 A3 | 4 st, 55 mm | subset | omits C |

## Diatonic function by key

| Key | Roman numeral | Function |
| --- | --- | --- |
| C major | IV | Subdominant, away from home |
| D minor | ♭III | Relative-major color |
| F major | I | Tonic, home |
| G minor | ♭VII | Subtonic |
| A minor | ♭VI | Pre-dominant color |
| B♭ major | V | Dominant, wants to resolve |

Classification system: common-practice functional harmony.

## Progressions (8)

| Progression | Key | Role | Sequence | Voice leading |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| IV, V, I | C major | IV | F to G to C | F opens the phrase |
| I, IV | C major | IV | C to F | 1 tone held from C |
| ♭III, ♭VI, ii°, v | D minor | ♭III | F to B♭ to Edim to Am | F opens the phrase |
| i, ♭III | D minor | ♭III | Dm to F | 2 tones held from Dm |
| ii, V, I | F major | I | Gm to C to F | 1 tone held from C |
| IV, I | F major | I | B♭ to F | 1 tone held from B♭ |
| I, vi, ii, V | F major | I | F to Dm to Gm to C | F opens the phrase |
| ♭VII, i | G minor | ♭VII | F to Gm | F opens the phrase |

## One-edit neighbors

| Becomes | Edit | Changes | Common tones |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Fmaj7 | 1 3 5 7 | adds E | 3 |
| F7 | 1 3 5 ♭7 | adds E♭ | 3 |
| F6 | 1 3 5 6 | adds D | 3 |
| Fadd9 | 1 3 5 9 | adds G | 3 |
| Fm | 1 ♭3 5 | A becomes A♭ | 2 |
| Faug | 1 3 ♯5 | C becomes C♯ | 2 |
| Fsus2 | 1 2 5 | A becomes G | 2 |
| Fsus4 | 1 4 5 | A becomes B♭ | 2 |
| Fm7 | 1 ♭3 5 ♭7 | A becomes A♭, E♭ | 2 |
| FmMaj7 | 1 ♭3 5 7 | A becomes A♭, E | 2 |
| Faug7 | 1 3 ♯5 ♭7 | C becomes C♯, E♭ | 2 |
| F7sus4 | 1 4 5 ♭7 | A becomes B♭, E♭ | 2 |

## Set theory

- Absolute pitch classes: {5, 9, 0}
- Relative pitch classes: [0, 4, 7]
- Normal order: [5, 9, 0]
- Prime form: (037)
- Forte number: 3-11
- Interval vector: <001110>

## Frequencies (close root position)

| Note | MIDI | Frequency |
| --- | --- | --- |
| F3 | 53 | 174.61 Hz |
| A3 | 57 | 220.00 Hz |
| C4 | 60 | 261.63 Hz |

## Questions and answers

### What notes are in F?

F contains F, A and C. The formula is 1, 3, 5.

### How do you play F on piano?

Play F, A and C together. Right hand fingers 1, 3, 5; left hand 5, 3, 1. Every note is a white key.

### What are the inversions of F?

3 positions: root position F A C, F/A, F/C.

### What keys contain F?

6: IV in C major, ♭III in D minor, I in F major, ♭VII in G minor, ♭VI in A minor, V in B♭ major.

### What is the difference between F and Fmaj7?

Adds E. 3 of the notes are shared.

### What is an easy F for small hands?

The root and third only voicing, F3 A3, spans 4 semitones or about 55 mm.

### What are the frequencies of F?

From F3 at A440 in 12-TET: 174.61, 220.00, 261.63 Hz.

### What is the set class of F?

Prime form (037), Forte 3-11, interval vector &lt;001110&gt;.

### How do I transpose F to another key?

Keep the 1, 3, 5 formula on the new root. C is C, E, G; C♯ is C♯, E♯, G♯.

## Provenance

Every derived value above is computed by the piano.org theory kernel from the root, the quality and the stated parameters. Nothing is hand-entered per chord.

Machine record: https://piano.org/api/knowledge/v1/entities/chord:major:f
Last reviewed: 2026-08-12