F# minor · Piano
F#m Chord on Piano
The F#m chord (F# minor) is built from the notes F#, A and C#. The keyboard diagram below shows exactly which keys to press. The same chord is also written Gbm; both spellings sound identical.
Chord diagrams
Notes in this chord
- F♯
- A
- C♯
Degrees: 1 – ♭3 – 5
Also written: Gbm
How to play
To play F#m on piano, press F#, A and C# together. In root position the lowest note is F#, and the finger numbers follow the keys left to right in the diagram.
Theory behind the chord
Minor chords sound darker than major ones because the third is lowered by a semitone. They carry the melancholic colour in most songs and pair naturally with their relative major. On F#m this structure sits on the root F#, so the degrees 1 – ♭3 – 5 map onto F#, A and C#. F#m is the vi chord in the key of A major, the ii chord in E major and the iii chord in D major. Its relative major is A. It is often heard in the F#m – D – A – E progression.
Frequently asked questions
- Which notes are in the F#m chord?
- F#m contains the notes F#, A and C#. Relative to the root these are the degrees 1 – ♭3 – 5.
- Are F#m and Gbm the same chord?
- Yes. F#m and Gbm are enharmonically identical — the spelling differs but the frets and keys are the same. Which name is used depends on the key of the piece.
Practise F#m on your phone
Minory bundles the full chord library with a tuner, metronome and repertoire notebook — and it all works offline.
