Key guide
F major: scale, key signature and chords
F major has one flat (B♭). Its scale is F, G, A, B♭, C, D, E — play the scale and every chord below.
- Key signature
- B♭ — one flat
- Scale notes
- F G A B♭ C D E
- Relative minor
- D minor
- Parallel minor
- F minor
- Dominant key
- C major
- Subdominant key
- B♭ major
- On the piano
- 1 black key and 6 white in the scale
The F major scale
The F major scale uses the notes F, G, A, B♭, C, D, E, the major-scale pattern of whole and half steps (W–W–H–W–W–W–H) starting on F. Each letter name appears once, which is why the accidentals are written as B♭ rather than as their enharmonic equivalents.
| Degree | Note | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | F | tonic |
| 2 | G | supertonic |
| 3 | A | mediant |
| 4 | B♭ | subdominant |
| 5 | C | dominant |
| 6 | D | submediant |
| 7 | E | leading tone |
Chords in F major
Stacking thirds on each note of the scale gives seven diatonic triads and seven seventh chords. The Roman numeral gives each chord’s position; the role column says what it usually does in a phrase.
| Chord | Triad | Seventh | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | F A C | F A C E | tonic |
| ii | G B♭ D | G B♭ D F | predominant |
| iii | A C E | A C E G | tonic substitute |
| IV | B♭ D F | B♭ D F A | predominant |
| V | C E G | C E G B♭ | dominant |
| vi | D F A | D F A C | tonic substitute |
| vii° | E G B♭ | E G B♭ D | dominant |
Chord progressions in F major
Four progressions worked out in F major, each one playable:
- I – V – vi – IV F – C – Dm – B♭The four-chord loop under a large share of pop songs.
- ii – V – I Gm – C – FThe standard jazz cadence: predominant, dominant, tonic.
- I – IV – V – I F – B♭ – C – FThe plain three-chord cadence at the root of tonal harmony.
- I – vi – IV – V F – Dm – B♭ – CThe 1950s progression: tonic, relative minor, subdominant, dominant.
Keys related to F major
- Relative minor: D minor — same key signature, different home note.
- Dominant: C major — one step clockwise on the circle of fifths; the key most pieces in F major modulate to.
- Subdominant: B♭ major — one step counter-clockwise, adding one flat (or removing one sharp).
- Parallel minor: F minor — same tonic, opposite mode.
Questions
What are the notes in F major?
The F major scale is F, G, A, B♭, C, D, E.
How many sharps or flats are in F major?
F major has one flat: B♭.
What is the relative minor of F major?
The relative minor of F major is D minor. The two keys share a key signature and the same seven notes, but D is the home note of the minor key.
What chords are in F major?
The seven diatonic triads in F major are F, Gm, Am, B♭, C, Dm, E°.