Chords in the Key of F♯ Minor — Ukulele Chord Chart

The key of F♯ minor has 3 sharps, and its seven chords are F♯m, G♯dim, A, Bm, C♯m, D, E. Start with F♯m, Bm, C♯m: they are the three a song in F♯ minor cannot do without. Every diagram below plays when you press it.

The seven chords of F♯ 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.

iF♯m2120the home chord
ii°G♯dim4245rare — a passing chord
IIIA2100the relative major
ivBm4222the step away from home
vC♯m1104the natural, gentler dominant
VID2220bright against the minor home
VIIE4442a whole step under home

The three to learn first

F♯m is home — the chord the song starts from and ends on. Bm is the step away, and C♯m is the one that pulls back home. On ukulele they are 2120, 4222 and 1104: F♯m with three fingers, Bm with a barre at the 2nd fret and one more finger and C♯m with three fingers.

The easy way: a capo at the 4th fret

F♯ minor is not a friendly key on ukulele — G♯dim and Bm need a barre or a fourth finger. Clamp a capo at the 4th fret and play the chords of D minor instead: every shape sounds 4 semitones higher, so the Dm shape sounds F♯m, the Gm shape sounds Bm and the Am shape sounds C♯m.

Progressions in F♯ minor

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

i – iv – V7F♯m – Bm – C♯7

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

i – VI – III – VIIF♯m – D – A – E

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

i – VII – VI – V7F♯m – E – D – C♯7

The descending “Andalusian” line.

The sevenths

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

V7C♯71112the major dominant, borrowed from the harmonic minor
i7F♯m72424home, softened
iv7Bm72222the step away, softened

The scale behind the chords

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

The nearest keys are a fifth either side: C♯ minor and B 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 F♯ minor?

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

What are the three main chords in F♯ minor?

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

What is the relative major of F♯ minor?

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

Is F♯ minor an easy key on ukulele?

2 of its six everyday chords — G♯dim and Bm — need a barre or four fingers on ukulele. The usual way round that is a capo at the 4th fret, playing the chord shapes of D minor.

Ukulele Chords in the Key of F♯ Minor