F#7 Piano Chord

F sharp 7 is the F sharp dominant seventh chord. It has four notes: F sharp, A sharp, C sharp and E. The first three are black keys and only the E is white.

1F♯2A♯3C♯5EC4C5

F♯ at the bottom, then A♯ and C♯ and E. Right hand 1-2-3-5, left hand 5-3-2-1. The black keys are F♯ and A♯ and C♯.

How to play F#7 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. Index finger (2): A♯
  4. Middle finger (3): C♯
  5. Little finger (5): E
  6. Press them together with the right hand. The left hand plays the same notes with fingers 5, 3, 2, 1 an octave lower, or just F♯ on its own as a bass note.

F sharp major is all black keys; adding the seventh brings one finger forward onto a white one. That single change is what turns a very easy shape into a slightly awkward one.

Inversions of F#7

The same 4 notes with a different one at the bottom. All of them are F#7; which you play depends on what the hand is coming from. Tap any card to hear it.

First inversionA♯ C♯ E F♯
F#7 piano chord diagram, first inversion, A♯ C♯ E F♯
Lighter than root position and less final. A third in the bass tips the chord forward, which is why it usually sits between two other chords rather than at the end of a line.
Second inversionC♯ E F♯ A♯
F#7 piano chord diagram, second inversion, C♯ E F♯ A♯
Open and slightly unresolved. A fifth in the bass makes the chord sound like a step on the way somewhere, which is mostly how it is used.
Third inversionE F♯ A♯ C♯
F#7 piano chord diagram, third inversion, E F♯ A♯ C♯
The most restless of the four. The seventh is the note that wants to move, and putting it underneath the whole chord makes that pull impossible to miss.

If it sounds wrong

The little finger keeps missing
It is the only finger on a white key, and it sits forward of the rest of the hand. Let the wrist tilt rather than dragging the whole hand out to meet it.
The top note is E sharp
It has to be E natural, which is the white key. E sharp, the key called F, would give F sharp maj7.
The black keys sound uneven
Aim each fingertip at the middle of its key. Black keys are narrow and punish an off centre strike.

What makes it an F#7

F♯ · A♯ · C♯ · E 1 3 5 ♭7

F sharp 7 is an F sharp major triad, F sharp A sharp C sharp, with an E added on top: the flat seventh.

It is the V7 of B, which is its most common job. In guitar based music, where B is a frequent key, this chord turns up more than its key signature would suggest.

F#7 vs F#

F sharp major is three black keys and one of the most comfortable chords on the piano. F sharp 7 adds a white key on top, which makes the hand work harder for one extra note.

That note is what gives the chord its pull toward B. Without it, F sharp is a resting chord; with it, it is a chord on the way somewhere.

Questions about F#7

Which notes are in an F#7 chord on piano?

F sharp, A sharp, C sharp and E. The first three are black keys; E is white.

What fingers do you use for F#7?

Right hand: thumb on F sharp, index on A sharp, middle on C sharp, little finger on E. Left hand: 5, 3, 2, 1.

Is F#7 the same as Gb7?

The same four keys and the same sound. F sharp 7 is the spelling used on most charts.

What is the difference between F#7 and F#?

The top note. F sharp 7 adds E, the flat seventh, which makes the chord lean toward B.

Where is the F#7 chord used?

As the V7 of B, and in blues in B, which is a common key on guitar.

Chords to learn next

Other F# chords