Chords in the Key of G♯ Minor — Guitar Chord Chart

Guitar Chords in the Key of G♯ Minor

The key of G♯ minor has 5 sharps, and its seven chords are G♯m, A♯dim, B, C♯m, D♯m, E, F♯. Start with G♯m, C♯m, D♯m: they are the three a song in G♯ minor cannot do without. Every diagram below plays when you press it.

The seven chords of G♯ minor

One chord on each note of the scale, built from the scale’s own notes. Capital numerals are major chords, small ones minor, and ° is diminished.

iG♯m466444the home chord
ii°A♯dimx12320rare — a passing chord
IIIBx24442the relative major
ivC♯mx46654the step away from home
vD♯mxx1342the natural, gentler dominant
VIE022100bright against the minor home
VIIF♯244322a whole step under home

The three to learn first

G♯m is home — the chord the song starts from and ends on. C♯m is the step away, and D♯m is the one that pulls back home. On guitar they are 466444, x46654 and xx1342: G♯m with a barre at the 4th fret and two more fingers, C♯m with a barre at the 4th fret and three more fingers and D♯m with four fingers.

Progressions in G♯ minor

The orders these chords are most often played in. Press play to hear each one strummed, a bar to a chord.

i – iv – V7G♯m – C♯m – D♯7

The minor three-chord song, with the major dominant.

i – VI – III – VIIG♯m – E – B – F♯

The four-chord pop progression, started from its minor chord.

i – VII – VI – V7G♯m – F♯ – E – D♯7

The descending “Andalusian” line.

The sevenths

Four-note versions of the same chords. D♯7 is the one worth learning first: it is D♯m with one note added, and it pulls toward G♯m harder than the plain chord does.

V7D♯7xx1323the major dominant, borrowed from the harmonic minor
i7G♯m7464444home, softened
iv7C♯m7x46454the step away, softened

The scale behind the chords

G♯ minor is the notes G♯ – A♯ – B – C♯ – D♯ – E – F♯. Every chord above uses only those seven notes (except D♯7, which raises the seventh), which is why they sound as if they belong together — and why a melody in G♯ minor fits over any of them. Its relative major is B major, which has the same notes and the same chords with a different home.

The nearest keys are a fifth either side: E♭ minor and C♯ minor. Each shares six of this key’s seven notes, which is why songs change key to them so often.

Frequently asked questions

What chords are in the key of G♯ minor?

G♯m (i), A♯dim (ii°), B (III), C♯m (iv), D♯m (v), E (VI), F♯ (VII). They are the seven chords you get by stacking thirds on each note of the G♯ minor scale — G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯ — using only notes of that scale. Songs in G♯ minor also use D♯7, the major dominant, which borrows one note from outside it.

What are the three main chords in G♯ minor?

G♯m, C♯m and D♯m — the chords on the first, fourth and fifth notes of the scale. G♯m is home, C♯m moves away from it and D♯m pulls back. A great many songs use only these three.

What is the relative major of G♯ minor?

B major. The two keys share all seven notes and all seven chords, in a different order: what is III in G♯ minor is the home chord of B major. A song can move between them without any chord sounding out of place.

Is G♯ minor an easy key on guitar?

5 of its six everyday chords — G♯m, A♯dim, B, C♯m and D♯m — need a barre or four fingers on guitar.

Strum them yourself

The playable guitar puts the chords of a key in a row: tap one to hold it, and drag across the strings.

Play the Virtual Guitar