F Minor Chord

The F Minor chord is a minor chord built on the root note F. Its notes are F, A♭ and C.

Minor chords have a darker, more introspective quality. A root, a minor third and a perfect fifth give them a reflective, sometimes sad character that is common in ballads, folk and film scores.

F Minor on piano

To play F Minor on piano, place your right-hand thumb on F, middle finger on A♭, and little finger on C. Press all keys at the same time and listen for a clear, balanced sound. Practice switching to and from this chord slowly, then with a metronome at a comfortable tempo.

F Minor on guitar

On guitar, F Minor is commonly played with the voicing shown above. If the chord contains barred notes, keep your index finger flat across the fretboard and curve the other fingers so they do not mute the open strings. Strum only the strings marked as active in the diagram for the cleanest tone.

Play the chord

F Minor

F · A♭ · C

F Minor chord notes

Formula: 1 · ♭3 · 5Notes: F · A♭ · C

Degree	Interval	Semitones	Note
1	Root	0	F
♭3	Minor third	3	A♭(Ab)
5	Perfect fifth	7	C

How to use the F Minor chord

The F Minor chord is built from a root, a minor third and a perfect fifth. Starting from the root F, stack the intervals to get the complete chord: F, A♭ and C. Learning the formula is the fastest way to transpose the chord to any other key.

Minor chords are everywhere in rock, pop, classical and film music. They often act as the vi chord in major keys or as the i, iv and v in a natural minor key.

Common progressions

The F Minor chord works beautifully in these progressions. Click a chord name to jump to its page.

Emotional progression

vi → IV → I → V

A♭E♭G°D♭

Natural minor progression

i → VI → III → VII

FmD♭A♭E♭

Minor blues

i → iv → v → i

FmB♭m CmFm

Scales that contain Fm

These scales include Fm as one of their diatonic chords. Use them to find melodies and improvisation ideas that fit perfectly.

C Natural Minor

C · D · E♭ · F · G · A♭ · B♭

C Harmonic Minor

C · D · E♭ · F · G · A♭ · B

C Phrygian

C · C♯ · E♭ · F · G · A♭ · B♭

C Aeolian

C · D · E♭ · F · G · A♭ · B♭

C Locrian

C · C♯ · E♭ · F · F♯ · A♭ · B♭

C Harmonic Major

C · D · E · F · G · A♭ · B

C Phrygian Dominant

C · C♯ · E · F · G · A♭ · B♭

C Gypsy Major

C · C♯ · E · F · G · A♭ · B

C♯ Major

C♯ · D♯ · F · F♯ · G♯ · A♯ · C

C♯ Lydian

C♯ · D♯ · F · G · G♯ · A♯ · C

C♯ Harmonic Major

C♯ · D♯ · F · F♯ · G♯ · A · C

C♯ Gypsy Major

C♯ · D · F · F♯ · G♯ · A · C

Once you are comfortable with F Minor, explore neighbouring chords to unlock new progressions. The chords below share notes, keys or functions with F Minor and are a natural next step in your practice.

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the F Minor chord?

The F Minor chord contains F, A♭ and C (F, Ab and C in plain text).

Is the F Minor chord major or minor?

F Minor is a minor chord. Minor chords have a darker, more introspective quality. A root, a minor third and a perfect fifth give them a reflective, sometimes sad character that is common in ballads, folk and film scores.

How do you play F Minor on piano?

Place your fingers on F, A♭ and C and play the notes together. On piano, the root is usually played with the little finger of the left hand and the upper notes with the right hand.

How do you play F Minor on guitar?

F Minor is typically played using the fingering shown in the interactive diagram above. You can also try an open position if one of the chord tones lines up with an open string.

What chords work well with F Minor?

F Minor pairs naturally with the chords listed in the related chords section. Chords a perfect fifth up or down, relative major or minor chords, and chords sharing two notes are all strong choices.

Keep exploring

Deepen your understanding of the F Minor chord with our other music theory tools.

Browse all chords Try the Piano Open Circle of Fifths