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F sharp minor scale

The natural minor scale: the eight notes, fingering for both hands and the key signature.

The short answer

The notes of the F sharp minor scale are F sharp, G sharp, A, B, C sharp, D and E, and then F sharp again at the top.

On the keys

Keyboard with the F sharp minor scale marked: F sharp, G sharp, A, B, C sharp, D and EABDEF♯G♯C♯F♯

Yellow is the starting note, and the same note again an octave up.

On the staff

Treble and bass staves showing the F sharp minor scale, one octave: F sharp, G sharp, A, B, C sharp, D and EF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯

One octave of F sharp minor, with the key signature at the start of each staff. F sharp minor has three sharps in its key signature: F sharp, C sharp and G sharp. The right hand reads the treble clef; the left plays the same notes two octaves lower, on the bass clef.

Fingering

One octave going up. The thumb is 1 and the little finger is 5. Coming down, play the same fingers in reverse order.

HandF♯G♯ABC♯DEF♯
Right34123123
Left43213214

Key signature

F sharp minor has three sharps in its key signature: F sharp, C sharp and G sharp. This is the natural minor, so it uses the key signature of its relative major, A major.

Harmonic and melodic minor

The natural minor is one of three minor scales. The harmonic minor raises the seventh note by a semitone, which gives F sharp minor a leading note a semitone below the top: F sharp, G sharp, A, B, C sharp, D and E sharp. The melodic minor raises the sixth and seventh notes going up: F sharp, G sharp, A, B, C sharp, D sharp and E sharp. Coming down it goes back to the natural minor.

Keep going

i chord: F sharp minor

F sharp, A and C sharp.

iv chord: B minor

B, D and F sharp.

v chord: C sharp minor

C sharp, E and G sharp.

A major scale

The relative major: the same seven notes and the same key signature, starting on A.

F sharp major scale

Same starting note, a different mood: the third, sixth and seventh notes rise a semitone.

Questions

How many sharps does the F sharp minor scale have?

F sharp minor has three sharps in its key signature: F sharp, C sharp and G sharp.

What is the fingering for the F sharp minor scale?

For one octave going up, the right hand uses 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 and the left hand uses 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 4.

Practise F sharp minor and the other scales in PlayPiano, a piano practice app for iPhone and iPad.

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