F sharp minor scale

The F♯ minor scale is F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D and E, with three sharps. From F♯, the steps go whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole, whole.

  1. F♯1
  2. whole
  3. G♯2
  4. half
  5. A3
  6. whole
  7. B4
  8. whole
  9. C♯5
  10. half
  11. D6
  12. whole
  13. E7
  14. whole
  15. F♯8
A1B2D1E2F♯3G♯4C♯3F♯3

F♯ minor on the staff, piano and guitar

On the staff

♯♯♯F♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯♯♯♯F♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯

On piano

Right hand 3 4, then the thumb passes under to A: 1 2 3 1 2 3.

A2B1D2E1F♯4G♯3C♯3F♯4

Left hand 4 3 2 1, then finger 3 crosses over to C♯: 3 2 1 4.

Fingers are numbered from the thumb, 1, to the little finger, 5. Coming down, play the same fingers in reverse.

On guitar

12345EBGDAEF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯G♯A

Every note of F♯ minor between the 1st and 5th fret. The root, F♯, has a heavy ring.

How to play the F sharp minor scale on piano

  1. Find F♯, the first black key of a group of three.
  2. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to G♯, a black key.
  3. Go up a half step, to the very next key, to A.
  4. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to B.
  5. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to C♯, a black key.
  6. Go up a half step, to the very next key, to D.
  7. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to E.
  8. Go up a whole step, skipping one key, to F♯, an octave above where you started.

Practice the F♯ minor scale

Play the F♯ minor scale one note a beat, up and back down: F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D E F♯ E D C♯ B A G♯ F♯. Hands separately first. Start at 60 beats a minute and move up toward 100 once every note lands on the beat.

F♯
  1. F♯
  2. G♯
  3. A
  4. B
  5. C♯
  6. D
  7. E
  8. F♯
  9. E
  10. D
  11. C♯
  12. B
  13. A
  14. G♯
  15. F♯

The key of F♯ minor

Follow the minor pattern from F♯ and three notes need a sharp: F♯, G♯ and C♯. Those three sharps are the key signature, the same as A major, its relative major.

Relative major
A major
Parallel major
F♯ major
Neighbors on the circle of fifths
B minor and C♯ minor
♯♯♯CAmGEmDVIBmivAIIIF♯miEVIIC♯mvBC♭G♯mA♭mF♯G♭D♯mE♭mD♭C♯B♭mA♯mA♭FmE♭CmB♭GmFDmF♯ minor
F♯ minor on the circle of fifths, with the chords of its key marked.

The name of each note in the key

  1. 1F♯tonic
  2. 2G♯supertonic
  3. 3Amediant
  4. 4Bsubdominant
  5. 5C♯dominant
  6. 6Dsubmediant
  7. 7Esubtonic

Chords in F♯ minor

Build a chord on each note of the scale, using only the scale's notes, and you get the seven chords of the key. The numeral is the chord's place in the key: capitals for major, small letters for minor.

  1. iF♯m
  2. ii°G♯dim
  3. IIIA
  4. ivBm
  5. vC♯m
  6. VID
  7. VIIE

F♯ harmonic and melodic minor

Harmonic minor

F♯ harmonic minor raises the 7th note a half step, E to E♯, so the scale leads back to F♯.

♯♯♯F♯G♯ABC♯D♯E♯F♯

Melodic minor

F♯ melodic minor raises the 6th and 7th notes going up, D to D♯ and E to E♯, and comes back down as the natural minor.

♯♯♯F♯G♯ABC♯♯D♯♯E♯F♯♮E♮DC♯BAG♯F♯

Modes on the same notes

Start the A major scale on another of its notes and you get a mode, with the same key signature: A ionian, B dorian, C♯ phrygian, D lydian, E mixolydian, F♯ aeolian, G♯ locrian.

Practice notes for the F sharp minor scale

F♯ minor has three sharps, F♯ C♯ G♯: F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D E F♯. It is the relative minor of A major. It starts on a black key, so the right hand starts on finger 3, and the thumb comes in on A, the third note.

Where it goes wrong. E♯. Harmonic minor raises the 7th note, E, a half step, and that note is E♯, the white key most people call F. Melodic minor going up raises D and E to D♯ and E♯. It is easy to write F instead. It is the same key, named E♯ because the scale needs an E.

How to practice it. Right hand: 3 4 for F♯ G♯, thumb under to A, 2 3 for B C♯, thumb under to D, then 2 3 for E F♯. Left hand: 4 3 2 1 for F♯ G♯ A B, then 3 crosses over to C♯, and 2 1 4 to the top. Once the natural form is steady, play harmonic minor and say “E sharp” on the 7th note each time.

What to listen for. E♯ to F♯ in harmonic and melodic minor, the half step up to the keynote. In harmonic minor, D to E♯ is three half steps wide, the step that gives that form its sound.

What to learn next. A major, the relative major with the same three sharps, and B minor and C♯ minor, one sharp fewer and one sharp more.

Questions

What are the notes of the F♯ minor scale?

F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D and E, then F♯ again an octave up.

What chords are in the key of F♯ minor?

F♯m, G♯dim, A, Bm, C♯m, D and E: i, ii°, III, iv, v, VI and VII.

Why does F♯ minor have three sharps?

Follow the minor pattern from F♯ and three notes need a sharp: F♯, G♯ and C♯. Those three sharps are the key signature, the same as A major, its relative major.

What is the relative major of F♯ minor?

A major. It uses the same notes and the same key signature, starting on A.

What is the F♯ harmonic minor scale?

F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D and E♯. F♯ harmonic minor raises the 7th note a half step, E to E♯, so the scale leads back to F♯.