Chords in the Key of F minor
F minor has 4 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭). Its seven chords are Fm, G°, A♭, B♭m, Cm, D♭, E♭, and the major C (from the harmonic minor) is often used as the V chord. The relative major is A♭ major.
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F minor scale
F – G – A♭ – B♭ – C – D♭ – E♭. Key signature: 4 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭).
All chords in F minor
| Degree | Triad | Notes | 7th chord | Notes | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| i | Fm | F – A♭ – C | Fm7 | F – A♭ – C – E♭ | tonic (home) |
| ii° | G° | G – B♭ – D♭ | Gm7♭5 | G – B♭ – D♭ – F | subdominant |
| III | A♭ | A♭ – C – E♭ | A♭maj7 | A♭ – C – E♭ – G | relative major |
| iv | B♭m | B♭ – D♭ – F | B♭m7 | B♭ – D♭ – F – A♭ | subdominant |
| v | Cm | C – E♭ – G | Cm7 | C – E♭ – G – B♭ | dominant (minor) |
| VI | D♭ | D♭ – F – A♭ | D♭maj7 | D♭ – F – A♭ – C | submediant |
| VII | E♭ | E♭ – G – B♭ | E♭7 | E♭ – G – B♭ – D♭ | subtonic |
In minor keys the v chord (Cm) is often replaced by a major V (C: C – E – G). It borrows the raised 7th (E) from the harmonic minor scale and pulls strongly back to Fm.
Common chord progressions in F minor
| Numerals | Chords in F minor |
|---|---|
| i – VI – III – VII | Fm – D♭ – A♭ – E♭ |
| i – VII – VI – VII | Fm – E♭ – D♭ – E♭ |
| i – iv – VI – V | Fm – B♭m – D♭ – C |
| i – iv – v – i | Fm – B♭m – Cm – Fm |
Play them in the circle above, or get progressions from real songs in the chord progressions by genre tool.
Related keys
- Relative major: A♭ major (same notes, different home chord).
- Parallel major: F major (same root; borrow chords from it for colour).
- Neighbouring keys on the circle of fifths: B♭ minor and C minor, one accidental away, for smooth key changes.
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Quick answers
What chords are in the key of F minor?
The chords in F minor are Fm, G°, A♭, B♭m, Cm, D♭, E♭, plus C as a major V chord. As 7th chords: Fm7, Gm7♭5, A♭maj7, B♭m7, Cm7, D♭maj7, E♭7.
How many flats are in F minor?
F minor has 4 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭).
What is the relative major of F minor?
A♭ major. Both keys use the same notes and key signature (4 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭)).
What is the v chord in F minor?
The natural v chord is Cm (C – E♭ – G); most songs use the major V, C (C – E – G).