F# Minor (F#m)

Also written as Gb Minor (Gb and F# are the same key).

1+b3+5
AF#C#
4 4
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Notes in F# Minor

F# (root)AC#

Inversions

Same notes as F# Minor, with a different chord tone as the lowest note. Useful for smoother movement between chords instead of jumping around the keyboard.

Root position

F# in the bass

AF#C#

1st inversion

A in the bass

AC#F#

2nd inversion

C# in the bass

AC#F#

F# Minor is built from F#, A and C#.

Shrink the major third by a semitone and the same stable shape turns melancholy. A minor triad still resolves, it just carries a heavier, more introspective mood than its major counterpart. Sad songs lean on it constantly, but so do tense film cues and moody grooves, so treat the label as a starting point rather than the whole story.

Difficulty: Beginner. Category: Triads. Click any key on the diagram above to hear that single note.