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F♯ Minor

Minor · F♯ – A – C♯ · intervals P1-m3-P5

The F♯ Minor chord (F♯m) contains the notes F♯, A, and C♯. Its interval formula is R-m3-P5. Darker and more melancholy than its major counterpart — used from ballads to film scores.

G♭ Minor
This is the same chord as G♭ Minor — the same keys on the keyboard, spelled with flats.

At the keyboard

F# · A · C#
Flashcards · Chord
Three questions on F♯ Minor
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F♯m

The F♯ Minor chord is a three-note chord made up of F♯, A, and C♯. It is built from a root, minor third, and perfect fifth.

Construction

F♯ Minor = Root + Minor 3rd + Perfect 5th = F♯ · A · C♯
NoteIntervalDegree
F♯Root1
AMinor 3rd♭3
C♯Perfect 5th5

How to Play the F♯ Minor

Right Hand (RH)

Place your right hand over the keys with the thumb on the root. Use the fingering: 1 – 3 – 5

Left Hand (LH)

For the left hand, start with your pinky on the root. Use the fingering: 5 – 3 – 1

F♯ Minor Inversions

F# Minor piano chord, 1st inversion — A, C♯, F♯
The F# Minor chord, 1st inversion, on a piano keyboard.
F# Minor piano chord, 2nd inversion — C♯, F♯, A
The F# Minor chord, 2nd inversion, on a piano keyboard.
PositionNotes
Root PositionF♯ – A – C♯
1st InversionA – C♯ – F♯
2nd InversionC♯ – F♯ – A

Key Signature

A chord has no key signature of its own, but the F♯ Minor is the tonic (i) chord of F# Minor, which shares the signature of its relative major, A Major3 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯).

F♯C♯G♯

Order of sharps

Sharps are added to a key signature in a fixed order. Each new sharp key adds the next sharp on the list.

FCGDAEB

Mnemonic: Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle

Chords in the Key of F♯ Minor

These are the triads built on each degree of the F♯ minor scale:

C1C2C3C4AC5C6C7C8F#C#
iF♯ Minor (minor)
DegreeNumeralChordQuality
1iF♯ MinorMinor
2ii°G♯ DiminishedDiminished
3IIIA MajorMajor
4ivB MinorMinor
5vC♯ MinorMinor
6VID MajorMajor
7VIIE MajorMajor

How F♯ Minor functions in a key

The same chord takes on a different harmonic role depending on the key it appears in. Here is where F♯ Minor sits diatonically across the common keys:

  • In A major, F♯ Minor is the vi chordthe tonic.
  • In F♯ minor, F♯ Minor is the i chordthe tonic.
  • In E major, F♯ Minor is the ii chorda predominant.
  • In C♯ minor, F♯ Minor is the iv chorda predominant.
  • In D major, F♯ Minor is the iii chorda mediant / color chord.
  • In B minor, F♯ Minor is the v chord.

Common F♯ Minor Progressions

Pick a progression and press play. Change the key to hear it anywhere — every chord is built from the same theory as the chord pages, so the notes always agree.

Version
Notation
C1C2C3C4AC5C6C7C8F#C#
iF#m
80 BPM
Root-position blocks move in leaps. Voice leading holds the common tones and steps the rest —

The epic minor loop — cinematic and driving, heard across pop, rock and film scores.

F♯ Minor — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the F♯ Minor chord on piano?
The F♯ Minor chord contains the notes F♯ – A – C♯. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.
What notes make up the F# Minor chord?
F# Minor contains three notes: F# (root), A (minor third), and C# (perfect fifth). F# and C# are black keys while A is a white key — a comfortable shape with the middle note on a white key between two black keys.
What fingering do I use for F# Minor?
Right hand: finger 2 on F#, finger 3 on A, finger 5 on C#. Left hand: finger 3 on F#, finger 2 on A, finger 1 on C#. Finger 2 on the root F# keeps the hand positioned well for reaching A and C#.
What are the inversions of F# Minor?
First inversion (F#m/A): A–C#–F#. Second inversion (F#m/C#): C#–F#–A. F#m/A (first inversion) is one of the most common chord shapes in pop and rock — A in the bass creates smooth connections to D Major and E Major chords.
What songs use the F# Minor chord?
F# Minor is the tonic in Shape of You (Ed Sheeran), appears as the vi chord in A Major songs, and features prominently in classical works. Taylor Swift's Love Story, Passenger's Let Her Go, and many Coldplay songs use F# Minor.
What chords pair well with F# Minor?
In F# Minor: D Major (VI), A Major (III), E Major (VII), C# Major (V). F#m–D–A–E is one of the most popular four-chord sequences in all of pop music. F#m–E–D–C# is the classic descending minor pattern used in countless songs.
How does F# Minor relate to A Major?
F# Minor is the relative minor of A Major — both share 3 sharps (F#, C#, G#). This means F# Minor and A Major share all seven scale notes. The vi chord of A Major is F# Minor, explaining why songs in A Major so naturally feel connected to an F# Minor tonality.

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References & Further Reading

The note names, intervals, fingering, and harmony on this chord page are grounded in the following sources. Public domain treatises and scores are linked to their full text; primary data is piano.org's own interval-derived reference dataset — continuously maintained and human-verified, with no fixed publication date.

  1. 1

    Prout, Ebenezer(1889)

    Harmony: Its Theory and Practice

    Public domain treatise
  2. 2

    Goetschius, Percy(1889)

    The Material Used in Musical Composition

    Public domain treatise
  3. 3

    Riemann, Hugo(1896)

    Harmony Simplified (English translation)

    Public domain treatise
  4. 4

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