F# Piano Chord

F sharp major is the F# piano chord. It has three notes: F sharp, A sharp and C sharp. All three are black keys, which makes it look intimidating and feel, once you try it, like one of the easiest chords on the piano.

1F♯3A♯5C♯C4C5

F♯ at the bottom, then A♯ and C♯. Right hand 1-3-5, left hand 5-3-1. The black keys are F♯ and A♯ and C♯.

How to play F# on piano, step by step

  1. Start on the F♯ above middle C. That is the lowest note of the chord.
  2. Thumb (1): F♯
  3. Middle finger (3): A♯
  4. Little finger (5): C♯
  5. Press them together with the right hand. The left hand plays the same notes with fingers 5, 3, 1 an octave lower, or just F♯ on its own as a bass note.

An all black chord is a gift to the hand: the keys are raised, narrower and evenly spaced, so the fingers land in a natural curve with no white keys in the way.

Inversions of F#

The same 3 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are F#; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionA♯ C♯ F♯
F# piano chord diagram, first inversion, A♯ C♯ F♯
Lighter than root position and less final. The third in the bass tips the chord forward, which is why it so often sits between two other chords rather than at the end of a line.
Second inversionC♯ F♯ A♯
F# piano chord diagram, second inversion, C♯ F♯ A♯
Open and a little unresolved. A fifth in the bass sounds like the chord is on its way somewhere, which is exactly how it is used: as the step between two chords whose roots are further apart.

If it sounds wrong

A finger slips down onto a white key
Play further into the keyboard than usual. All three notes are black, so there is no reason for the hand to sit near the front edge at all.
The notes sound uneven
Black keys are narrower and need a more central strike. Aim each fingertip at the middle of its key rather than its edge.
You have played the wrong group
F sharp and A sharp are the first and third keys of the group of three; C sharp is the first of the next group of two. Find the groups first and the chord places itself.

What makes it an F#

F♯ · A♯ · C♯ 1 3 5

F sharp major is the first, third and fifth notes of the F sharp major scale: F sharp, A sharp and C sharp. The key has six sharps, which is why every note of the chord is a black key.

It is the I chord of F sharp major, the IV of C sharp and the V of B. On piano it is worth learning early, in spite of the key signature, because the shape is so comfortable.

F# vs F#m

The middle note drops from A sharp to A, from a black key to a white one. That gives F sharp minor, which is a far more common chord: it is the relative minor of A major, one of the most used keys in guitar based music.

It also changes how the chord feels. F sharp major is three black keys and very easy; F sharp minor puts one finger down onto a white key, which tilts the hand.

Questions about F#

Which notes are in an F# chord on piano?

F sharp, A sharp and C sharp. All three are black keys.

Is F# hard to play on piano?

No, and it surprises people. All three keys are black, raised and evenly spaced, so the hand falls into shape naturally. Many pianists find it more comfortable than C major.

Is F# the same as Gb?

The same three keys and the same sound. Sharp keys write F sharp, flat keys write G flat. F sharp is the more common spelling on chord charts.

What fingers do you use for an F# chord?

Right hand: thumb on F sharp, middle finger on A sharp, little finger on C sharp. Left hand: little finger on F sharp, middle on A sharp, thumb on C sharp.

Where is the F# chord used?

As the I chord in F sharp, the IV in C sharp and the V in B. It also turns up as the V chord in the key of B, which is common in guitar music.

Chords to learn next

Other F# chords