Chords in the Key of F
The key of F major contains seven chords: F, Gm, Am, Bb, C, Dm and Edim. Every B in the key is played as B flat, and most songs in F lean on F, Bb, C and Dm.
The seven chords on guitar
Each chord below opens its own page, with more shapes up the neck, audio for every voicing and a printable chart. Tap the play button on any card to hear it.
The seven chords on piano
The same seven chords on a keyboard, in root position. Each one opens its own page, with every inversion and the finger numbers for both hands.
IFF A C 
the home chord
iiGmG B♭ D 
the gentle step up from home
iiiAmA C E 
the darkest of the three minors
IVBbB♭ D F 
the lift away from home
VCC E G 
the chord that pulls back home
viDmD F A 
the relative minor
vii°EdimE G B♭ 
the tense one, used sparingly
The seventh chords in F major
Add one more note to each chord and the key gains its seventh chords, which is where most jazz and a good deal of soul begins.
Common progressions in F major
- I - IV - V
F Bb C
Two of these need a barre on guitar. On piano it is one of the simplest progressions there is.
- I - V - vi - IV
F C Dm Bb
Capo at the first fret and play E, B, C#m and A shapes, or at the third with D, A, Bm and G shapes.
- ii - V - I
Gm C F
As Gm7, C7 and Fmaj7, a cadence that turns up constantly in jazz and bossa nova.
Why these seven chords
On a stave, F major is written with one flat, Bb, which is how a reader knows the key before playing a note.
F is one step anticlockwise from C, the first key on the flat side. It shares six of its seven notes with C, and the only difference is that B becomes Bb.
The majors are F, Bb and C. Dm is the relative minor, and Am and Gm complete the set.
On guitar
F is the key where beginners meet the barre chord. The tonic itself needs one, and so does Bb, which is why so many players who are comfortable in C or G stall when a song moves to F.
Two ways round it: a smaller four string F shape that avoids the full barre, or a capo at the first fret with E major shapes, which puts the whole key in open position.
On piano
F major uses one black key, Bb. It is often the second key a pianist learns after C, since only one note changes.
The tonic chord F is three white keys, so the hand shape is the same as C moved along.
Questions about the key of F
What are the 7 chords in the key of F?
F, Gm, Am, Bb, C, Dm and Edim. F, Bb and C are major, Gm, Am and Dm are minor, and Edim is diminished.
Why is the key of F hard on guitar?
Its home chord, F, needs a barre, and so does Bb. Neither has a good open shape, unlike the chords in C, G, D, A and E.
What is the relative minor of F major?
D minor, with the same one flat and the same seven chords.
What do the numbers next to each chord mean?
They are each chord's place in the key, written as Roman numerals. In F major the I is F, the IV is Bb and the V is C. The numbering holds in every key, so the V of C is G. That is why progressions get written as numerals like I, V, vi, IV: learn one and you have it in all twelve keys.
Why are some numerals capitals and some lowercase?
The case tells you the chord quality. Capitals are major, which in F major means F, Bb and C. Lowercase are minor: Gm, Am and Dm. The small circle on vii° means diminished, and here that is Edim.