Hear the Chord

Chords in the key of F major

The key of F major has one flat (B♭). Its seven chords are F, Gm, Am, B♭, C, Dm and Edim. Tap any of them, or play them in order.

  1. 1F3C4F2ACF1-3-3-2-1-1
  2. 3fr1G2D3GB♭DG3-5-5-3-3-3
  3. ×A2E3A1CEx-0-2-2-1-0
  4. ×1B♭2F3B♭4DFx-1-3-3-3-1
  5. ×3C2EG1CEx-3-2-0-1-0
  6. ××D2A3D1Fx-x-0-2-3-1
  7. E1B♭2EG×E0-1-2-0-x-0

Tap a numeral to hear one chord; tap a shape to open it.

The chords that do most of the work

F is home. B♭ (IV) is the step away, C (V) is the pull back, and Dm (vi), the relative minor, is the shadow of home. Those four chords, in some order, carry an enormous share of pop, rock and country songs. Gm (ii) usually leads to C; Am (iii) is used for color; Edim is tense and rarely stays long.

Key signature

F major has one flat (B♭), printed once at the start of each staff. Flat keys add one flat per step counterclockwise around the circle of fifths: F major sits between C major and B♭ major.

𝄞♭
𝄢♭

The notes of the key are the F major scale: F G A B♭ C D E. Relative minor: D minor (same notes). Parallel minor: F minor (same starting note).

Progressions in F major

Press play to hear I–V–vi–IV in F major, then use the key menu to move it.

In F major, 4 beats per chord. Open in the progression builder

  1. IF
  2. VC
  3. viDm
  4. IVB♭
ProgressionIn F major
I–V–vi–IV
the pop progression		F – C – Dm – B♭
I–IV–V
the three-chord progression		F – B♭ – C – F
I–vi–IV–V
the 50s progression		F – Dm – B♭ – C
ii–V–I
the jazz cadence		Gm7 – C7 – Fmaj7 – Fmaj7
vi–IV–I–V
the minor-feel pop loop		Dm – B♭ – F – C
I–IV–vi–V
the lift		F – B♭ – Dm – C
I–vi–ii–V
the turnaround		F – Dm – Gm – C
I–iii–IV–V
the stepwise climb		F – Am – B♭ – C
I–V–vi–iii–IV–I–IV–V
the Canon progression		F – C – Dm – Am – B♭ – F – B♭ – C
I7–IV7–V7 (12 bars)
the 12-bar blues		F7 – F7 – F7 – F7 – B♭7 – B♭7 – F7 – F7 – C7 – B♭7 – F7 – C7

Borrowed dominants: leaning into other chords of F major

Any chord in F major can get its own V7. It isn't in the key, but it points straight at the chord that follows.

Borrowing from F minor

Major-key songs often darken for a moment by taking chords from F minor: B♭m (iv), C♯ (♭VI), E♭ (♭VII) and A♭ (♭III). The minor iv (B♭m) is the classic bittersweet move before returning to F.

Seventh chords in F major

Add the next note of the scale on top of each chord and you get the key's seventh chords: Fmaj7, Gm7, Am7, B♭maj7, C7, Dm7 and Em7♭5. C7 is the only dominant seventh, which is why it pulls so strongly to F.

Playing in F major on guitar

F major is awkward in open position, so most guitarists use a capo: capo 1st fret with E major shapes, capo 3rd fret with D major shapes or capo 5th fret with C major shapes. Barre chords work too.

Transpose a chord chart · How a capo works

Other keys

Key of F major: questions

What chords are in the key of F major?

F, Gm, Am, B♭, C, Dm and Edim. As numerals: I = F, ii = Gm, iii = Am, IV = B♭, V = C, vi = Dm, vii° = Edim.

How many sharps or flats are in F major?

One flat (B♭).

What is the relative minor of F major?

D minor. It uses the same key signature; the difference is which chord feels like home.

What are the I, IV and V chords in F major?

F (I), B♭ (IV) and C (V). Those three chords are enough for thousands of songs.

How do I play in F major on guitar with a capo?

Capo 1st fret, then play E major shapes (E, B, C♯m, A); they sound as F, C, Dm, B♭.

Chord spellings follow the key signature of F major; all of them are checked automatically. Updated September 2026.