F sharp minor scale
The F♯ minor scale is F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯. It has 3 sharps (F♯, C♯ and G♯), its relative major is A major, and the standard piano fingering is 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 in the right hand and 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 4 in the left hand.
F sharp minor scale notes
The F♯ minor scale has seven notes before the tonic repeats: F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯. Three of the seven are black keys on the piano (F♯, G♯ and C♯); the other four are white keys.
The step pattern is W H W W H W W (W = whole step, H = half step). The half steps fall between G♯ and A and C♯ and D.
| Degree | Name | Note | Solfège (movable do) | Piano key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | F♯ | la | Black |
| 2 | Supertonic | G♯ | ti | Black |
| 3 | Mediant | A | do | White |
| 4 | Subdominant | B | re | White |
| 5 | Dominant | C♯ | mi | Black |
| 6 | Submediant | D | fa | White |
| 7 | Subtonic | E | sol | White |
Natural, harmonic and melodic F sharp minor
F sharp minor has three common forms. The natural minor follows the key signature. The harmonic minor raises the seventh note to E♯, which makes the chord on the fifth degree major (C♯) and gives a strong pull back to F♯. The melodic minor raises both the sixth and seventh notes on the way up (D♯ and E♯) and traditionally plays the natural form on the way down.
| Form | Notes | Changed from natural |
|---|---|---|
| Natural minor | F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯ | Nothing: follows the key signature |
| Harmonic minor | F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D, E♯, F♯ | 7th raised to E♯ |
| Melodic minor (ascending) | F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D♯, E♯, F♯ | 6th and 7th raised to D♯ and E♯ |
The raised seventh, E♯, is written as a sharp but played on a white key: the key usually called F.
F sharp minor key signature
The F♯ minor key signature has 3 sharps: F♯, C♯ and G♯, written in that order at the start of every line. Sharps are always added in the order F, C, G, D, A, E, B. A major shares this signature.
On the treble staff, the sharps sit F♯ on the fifth line from the bottom, C♯ in the third space from the bottom and G♯ in the space just above the top line.
Shortcut: the last sharp, G♯, is one half step below the major tonic (A); the minor key with the same signature starts three half steps lower, on F♯.
F sharp minor scale fingering
| Hand | Notes (ascending) | Fingers |
|---|---|---|
| Right hand | F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯ | 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 |
| Left hand | F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯ | 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 4 |
Right hand going up: G♯ (finger 4) to A (finger 1), the thumb passes under; then C♯ (finger 3) to D (finger 1), the thumb passes under. Left hand going up: B (finger 1) to C♯ (finger 3), the finger passes over the thumb; then E (finger 1) to F♯ (finger 4), the finger passes over the thumb. Fingers are numbered 1 (thumb) to 5 (little finger) in both hands.
The thumb stays on white keys in both hands; the black keys go to the longer fingers. For two octaves and the descending pattern, open the free piano scale fingering tool linked below.
Chords in F sharp minor
Building a triad on each note of the scale gives the seven chords of F♯ minor. The primary chords are F♯m (i), Bm (iv) and C♯ (V). The natural minor's own fifth chord is C♯m (v), but music in F♯ minor usually raises the seventh and uses C♯ (V) instead.
| Degree | Triad | Notes | Seventh chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | F♯m | F♯ A C♯ | F♯m7 | F♯ A C♯ E |
| ii° | G♯° | G♯ B D | G♯m7♭5 | G♯ B D F♯ |
| III | A | A C♯ E | Amaj7 | A C♯ E G♯ |
| iv | Bm | B D F♯ | Bm7 | B D F♯ A |
| v | C♯m | C♯ E G♯ | C♯m7 | C♯ E G♯ B |
| VI | D | D F♯ A | Dmaj7 | D F♯ A C♯ |
| VII | E | E G♯ B | E7 | E G♯ B D |
A common minor progression, i iv V i, is F♯m, Bm, C♯, F♯m in F♯ minor, using the major V from the harmonic form. The dominant seventh is C♯7 (C♯ E♯ G♯ B).
Reading F sharp minor on the staff
F sharp minor has three sharps. Its harmonic form raises E to E sharp, which is played on the white key usually called F, a common surprise when reading.
On the treble staff, F♯4 to F♯5 needs no ledger lines. On the bass staff, F♯3 to F♯4 needs 2 ledger lines above the staff. Because of those ledger lines, left hand parts in this key are often written an octave lower, from F♯2.
The reading trap in F♯ minor is the key signature: the sharps are written once at the start of the line, not next to the notes. Before you play, say the altered notes out loud (F♯, C♯ and G♯), then check every F, C and G on the page.
How to practise the F sharp minor scale
- Say the notes before you play them: F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯.
- Play hands separately, one octave, at a slow steady pulse (60 beats per minute, one note per beat), using 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 in the right hand and 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 4 in the left.
- Stop on each thumb crossing and check the next finger is already over its key before you move.
- Add the descending scale with the same fingers in reverse, then go to two octaves.
- Put the hands together only when each hand can play it three times in a row without a stop, then raise the tempo by about 8 beats per minute at a time.
- Finish with the primary chords: F♯m (F♯ A C♯), Bm (B D F♯) and C♯ (C♯ E♯ G♯).
Clef, our iPhone and iPad app, drills minor scales (natural and harmonic, one octave), triads and arpeggios with its on-screen controls or a connected MIDI keyboard, then brings each one back on a spaced schedule so it stays learned.
Keys related to F sharp minor
- A major scale: relative major, same key signature
- F sharp major scale: parallel major, same tonic
- C sharp minor scale: a fifth above, 4 sharps
- B minor scale: a fifth below, 2 sharps
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the F sharp minor scale?
The F♯ minor scale is F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯, then F♯ again an octave higher.
How many sharps are in F sharp minor?
F sharp minor has 3 sharps: F♯, C♯ and G♯.
What is the relative major of F sharp minor?
A major. It uses the same key signature and the same notes, starting on A.
What chords are in F sharp minor?
F♯m (i), G♯° (ii°), A (III), Bm (iv), C♯m (v), D (VI), E (VII). With the raised seventh of the harmonic minor, the V chord becomes C♯.
What is the fingering for the F sharp minor scale on piano?
Right hand 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 going up from F♯; left hand 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 4 going up. Reverse the numbers to come down.