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Chord · Reference entry

G♯ Minor

Minor · G♯ – B – D♯ · intervals P1-m3-P5

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

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

At the keyboard

G# · B · D#
Flashcards · Chord
Three questions on G♯ Minor
Answer on the keyboard, not with buttons. No login required.
G♯m

The G♯ Minor chord is a three-note chord made up of G♯, B, and D♯. It is built from a root, minor third, and perfect fifth.

Construction

G♯ Minor = Root + Minor 3rd + Perfect 5th = G♯ · B · D♯
NoteIntervalDegree
G♯Root1
BMinor 3rd♭3
D♯Perfect 5th5

How to Play the G♯ 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

G♯ Minor Inversions

G# Minor piano chord, 1st inversion — B, D♯, G♯
The G# Minor chord, 1st inversion, on a piano keyboard.
G# Minor piano chord, 2nd inversion — D♯, G♯, B
The G# Minor chord, 2nd inversion, on a piano keyboard.
PositionNotes
Root PositionG♯ – B – D♯
1st InversionB – D♯ – G♯
2nd InversionD♯ – G♯ – B

Key Signature

A chord has no key signature of its own, but the G♯ Minor is the tonic (i) chord of G# Minor, which shares the signature of its relative major, B Major5 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯).

F♯C♯G♯D♯A♯

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 G♯ Minor

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

C1C2C3C4BC5C6C7C8G#D#
iG♯ Minor (minor)
DegreeNumeralChordQuality
1iG♯ MinorMinor
2ii°A♯ DiminishedDiminished
3IIIB MajorMajor
4ivC♯ MinorMinor
5vD♯ MinorMinor
6VIE MajorMajor
7VIIF♯ MajorMajor

How G♯ Minor functions in a key

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

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

Common G♯ 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
C1C2C3C4BC5C6C7C8G#D#
iG#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.

G♯ Minor — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the G♯ Minor chord on piano?
The G♯ Minor chord contains the notes G♯ – B – D♯. On piano, play these notes together to sound the chord.
What notes make up the G# Minor chord?
G# Minor contains three notes: G# (root), B (minor third), and D# (perfect fifth). G# and D# are black keys while B is a white key — a shape that becomes comfortable once the hand anchors on G#.
What fingering do I use for G# Minor?
Right hand: finger 2 on G#, finger 3 on B, finger 5 on D#. Left hand: finger 3 on G#, finger 2 on B, finger 1 on D#. Finger 2 on G# keeps the hand naturally positioned for B and D#.
What are the inversions of G# Minor?
First inversion (G#m/B): B–D#–G#. Second inversion (G#m/D#): D#–G#–B. G#m/B (first inversion with white-key B in the bass) is common in E Major and C# Minor pieces as a passing or sustained chord.
What songs use the G# Minor chord?
G# Minor is the vi chord in B Major and appears in many classical and contemporary works. It features in pieces by Chopin and Liszt and in pop as a chromatic chord in flat-key contexts where it is notated as Ab Minor.
What chords pair well with G# Minor?
In G# Minor: E Major (VI), B Major (III), F# Major (VII), D# Major (V). G#m–E–B–F# is the standard four-chord progression. G#m is also the vi chord in B Major, meaning it appears in all B Major progressions.
Is G# Minor the same as Ab Minor?
Yes — G# Minor (G#–B–D#) and Ab Minor (Ab–Cb–Eb) are enharmonically equivalent. They use the same piano keys but different spellings. G# Minor is used in sharp-key contexts (B Major, E Major) while Ab Minor is used in flat-key contexts (Db Major, Gb Major).

Related Tools

Chord FinderLook up any chord — see the notes, hear it, and play along.Chord DrillTimed drills to build speed and recognition across all chord types.Practice RoomPlug in a MIDI keyboard and get real-time feedback on every chord and scale.Circle of FifthsVisualize key relationships, relative minors, and key signatures.MIDI MonitorLive MIDI message stream with note names, velocity, and a scrolling staff.

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

    Riemann, Hugo(1896)

    Harmony Simplified (English translation)

    Public domain treatise
  2. 2

    George Grove (ed.)(1900)

    A Dictionary of Music and Musicians

    Public domain treatise
  3. 3

    Jadassohn, Salomon(1883)

    A Manual of Harmony

    Public domain treatise
  4. 4

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