Skip to content
piano.org
A piano reference: chords, scales, theory & ear training.
/

Key of F

The key of F major has 1 flat (B♭). Its seven notes are F, G, A, B♭, C, D, and E. Its relative minor is D Minor, which shares the same notes and key signature. The chords that belong to the key are I F major, ii G minor, iii A minor, IV B♭ major, V C major, vi D minor, vii° E diminished. Its dominant is C major and its subdominant is B♭ major — the keys it most naturally moves toward. Keys built on flats, like F major, are traditionally described as warm and mellow.

Key Signature

The notes of the F Major come from F Major, so it carries that key signature: 1 flat (B♭).

B♭

Order of flats

Flats are added in a fixed order — the reverse of the sharp order. Each new flat key adds the next flat on the list.

B♭E♭A♭D♭G♭C♭F♭

Mnemonic: Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’ Father

Relative minor: D Minor scale — same notes, same key signature, different home note.

Chords in the Key of F Major

Every major key is built from seven diatonic chords — one on each note of the scale. In F major they are I F Major, ii G Minor, iii A Minor, IV A♯ Major, V C Major, vi D Minor, and vii° E Diminished. Tap any chord to light it up on the keyboard.

C1C2C3C4FACC6C7C8
I — F Major (major)

Common chord progressions in F major

  • I – IV – V — F → A♯ → C — the three primary chords
  • I – V – vi – IV — F → C → D → A♯ — the most common pop progression
  • ii – V – I — G → C → F — the backbone of jazz
  • I – vi – IV – V — F → D → A♯ → C — the classic doo-wop turnaround

Everything in the key of F

Every chord, scale, and mode in F — click any link for the full interactive page with piano diagrams, audio, notation, and fingerings.

F Chords

F Major ChordF Minor ChordF Augmented ChordF Diminished ChordF Suspended 2nd ChordF Suspended 4th ChordF Major 6 ChordF Minor 6th ChordF Dominant 7th ChordF Major 7th ChordF Minor 7th ChordF Minor Major 7th ChordF Diminished 7th ChordF Half Diminished ChordF Augmented 7th ChordF Dominant 7th Sharp 11 ChordF Add 9 ChordF Major 9th ChordF Minor 9th ChordF Major 11th ChordF Minor 11th ChordF Major 13th ChordF Minor 13th ChordF Dominant 9th ChordF Dominant 7th ♭5 ChordF Major 6/9 ChordF Power ChordF Dominant 11th ChordF Dominant 13th ChordF Dominant 7th sus4 ChordF Dominant 9th sus4 ChordF Dominant 13th sus4 ChordF Dominant 7th ♭9 ChordF Dominant 7th ♯9 ChordF Dominant 7th ♭13 ChordF Dominant 7th ♯5 ChordF Dominant 9th ♭5 ChordF Dominant 9th ♯5 ChordF Dominant 7th ♭9 ♯11 ChordF Dominant 7th ♯9 ♯11 ChordF Dominant 7th ♭5 ♯9 ChordF Minor 11th ♭5 ChordF Minor 13th ♭5 ChordF Add 4 ChordF Minor Add 9 ChordF Minor Add 11 ChordF Major 7♯5 ChordF Major 7♭5 ChordF Minor 7♯5 ChordF Major 7♯11 ChordF Major 9♯11 ChordF Dominant 9♯11 ChordF Diminished Major 7th Chord

F Scales

F Major ScaleF Minor ScaleF Major Pentatonic ScaleF Minor Pentatonic ScaleF Major Blues ScaleF Minor Blues ScaleF Harmonic Minor ScaleF Melodic Minor ScaleF Chromatic ScaleF Altered ScaleF Phrygian Dominant ScaleF Locrian Sharp 2 ScaleF Lydian Dominant ScaleF Whole Tone ScaleF Whole-Half Diminished ScaleF Half-Whole Diminished ScaleF Major Bebop ScaleF Dominant Bebop ScaleF Minor Bebop ScaleF Harmonic Major ScaleF Double Harmonic ScaleF Hungarian Minor ScaleF Major b6 Pentatonic ScaleF Minor 6 Pentatonic Scale

F Modes

F Ionian1st Mode · = Major ScaleF Dorian2nd Mode of MajorF Phrygian3rd Mode of MajorF Lydian4th Mode of MajorF Mixolydian5th Mode of MajorF Aeolian6th Mode · = Natural MinorF Locrian7th Mode of Major
CC♯D♭DD♯E♭EFF♯G♭GG♯A♭AA♯B♭BC♭