Key guide
F minor: scale, key signature and chords
F minor has four flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭). Its scale is F, G, A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭ — play the scale and every chord below.
- Key signature
- B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ — four flats
- Scale notes
- F G A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭
- Relative major
- A♭ major
- Parallel major
- F major
- Dominant key
- C minor
- Subdominant key
- B♭ minor
- On the piano
- 4 black keys and 3 white in the scale
The F minor scale
The F minor scale uses the notes F, G, A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, the natural minor pattern of whole and half steps (W–H–W–W–H–W–W) starting on F. Each letter name appears once, which is why the accidentals are written as B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭ 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♭ | subtonic |
Harmonic and melodic minor in F minor
The natural minor scale above is the form the key signature gives you. Composers alter it to get a stronger pull to the tonic: the harmonic minor raises the seventh degree (F, G, A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E), and the melodic minor raises the sixth and seventh going up (F, G, A♭, B♭, C, D, E). A × means a double sharp.
Chords in F minor
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 |
In a minor key the v chord from the natural scale is usually replaced in cadences by a major V built with the raised seventh: C E G.
Chord progressions in F minor
Four progressions worked out in F minor, each one playable:
- i – VI – III – VII Fm – D♭ – A♭ – E♭A rising-and-falling minor loop that stays inside the natural minor scale.
- i – iv – V – i Fm – B♭m – C – FmThe minor cadence: the V is major, borrowing the raised seventh from the harmonic minor scale.
- ii° – V – i G° – C – FmThe minor ii–V–i: a diminished predominant resolving to the tonic.
- i – VII – VI – V Fm – E♭ – D♭ – CThe descending “Andalusian” line, ending on the major dominant.
Keys related to F minor
- Relative major: A♭ major — same key signature, different home note.
- Dominant: C minor — one step clockwise on the circle of fifths; the key most pieces in F minor modulate to.
- Subdominant: B♭ minor — one step counter-clockwise, adding one flat (or removing one sharp).
- Parallel major: F major — same tonic, opposite mode.
Questions
What are the notes in F minor?
The F minor scale is F, G, A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭. That is the natural minor form; the harmonic minor raises the seventh degree, and the melodic minor raises the sixth and seventh going up.
How many sharps or flats are in F minor?
F minor has four flats: B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭.
What is the relative major of F minor?
The relative major of F minor is A♭ major. The two keys share a key signature and the same seven notes, but F is the home note of the minor key.
What chords are in F minor?
The seven diatonic triads in F minor are Fm, G°, A♭, B♭m, Cm, D♭, E♭. In practice the V chord is usually played as C, using the raised seventh from the harmonic minor scale.