Key guide
F♯ minor: scale, key signature and chords
F♯ minor has three sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯). Its scale is F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D, E — play the scale and every chord below.
- Key signature
- F♯ C♯ G♯ — three sharps
- 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
- 3 black keys and 4 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 F♯, C♯, G♯ 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 F♯m – D – A – EA rising-and-falling minor loop that stays inside the natural minor scale.
- i – iv – V – i F♯m – Bm – C♯ – F♯mThe minor cadence: the V is major, borrowing the raised seventh from the harmonic minor scale.
- ii° – V – i G♯° – C♯ – F♯mThe minor ii–V–i: a diminished predominant resolving to the tonic.
- i – VII – VI – V F♯m – E – D – C♯The 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 three sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯.
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 F♯m, G♯°, A, Bm, C♯m, D, E. In practice the V chord is usually played as C♯, using the raised seventh from the harmonic minor scale.