What chords are in the key of F Minor?

The key of F Minor uses Fm, A♭, B♭m, Cm, D♭, E♭. Those six cover almost every song written in F Minor; the seventh, a diminished chord on the leading note, turns up far more rarely.

How many sharps or flats does F Minor have?

F Minor has 4 flats in its key signature.

What is the relative major of F Minor?

A♭ Major — it shares the same notes and the same key signature as F Minor, just centred on a different home chord. Songs slip between the two all the time.

What capo position is best for F Minor?

A capo on fret 1, fingering Em shapes. It sounds exactly like F Minor but swaps the barre chords for open ones.

Chords in the Key of F Minor

F Minor is built from Fm, A♭, B♭m, Cm, D♭, E♭ and carries 4 flats in its key signature. On guitar it is easiest with a capo on fret 1, fingering Em shapes.

The 6 chords of F Minor

Tap any diagram for a full fingering guide for that chord.

D♭VI

Chord numbers and numerals

Roman numerals are how theory writes a key; Nashville numbers are how session players call one on stage. Both say the same thing — the chord's position in the key, independent of which key you end up in.

Numeral	Nashville	Chord in F Minor	Role
i	1m	Fm	Home chord (tonic)
III	3	A♭	Relative major — bright lift
iv	4m	B♭m	Subdominant
v	5m	Cm	Pulls home
VI	6	D♭	Warm resolution
VII	7	E♭	Rock cadence

More on this in the Nashville number system guide.

Common progressions in F Minor

The same handful of progressions carry most of popular music. Here they are written out in this key.

The minor pop loop

i – VI – III – VII

The minor-key equivalent of the four-chord song — moody but never gloomy.

Fm→D♭→A♭→E♭

The minor three-chord

i – iv – v

Plain and folk-like. Raising the v to a major V adds a much stronger pull home.

Fm→B♭m→Cm

The Andalusian-flavoured vamp

i – VII – VI – VII

A rocking, cyclical feel that never fully resolves — good for verses and jams.

Fm→E♭→D♭→E♭

The lift

i – VI – VII

Climbs out of the minor tonic and back again; common in choruses and film cues.

Fm→D♭→E♭

Playing F Minor on guitar

How hard this key is has nothing to do with the music and everything to do with where the notes fall on the neck.

Played open, F Minor asks for barre chords, which is tiring over a full set and a common place for beginners to stall. Put a capo on fret 1 and finger Em shapes instead: the song still sounds in F Minor, but your hand is doing the easy version. See the full capo breakdown for F Minor →

Its relative major is A♭ Major — same notes, same key signature, different centre of gravity. The parallel key, F Major, keeps the same home note but flips the mood; borrowing a chord from it is one of the oldest tricks for making a chorus land.

Move a song into or out of F Minor

If F Minor does not fit the singer, these pages show exactly which chord becomes which.

Frequently asked questions

What chords are in the key of F Minor?: The key of F Minor uses Fm, A♭, B♭m, Cm, D♭, E♭. Those six cover almost every song written in F Minor; the seventh, a diminished chord on the leading note, turns up far more rarely.
How many sharps or flats does F Minor have?: F Minor has 4 flats in its key signature.
What is the relative major of F Minor?: A♭ Major — it shares the same notes and the same key signature as F Minor, just centred on a different home chord. Songs slip between the two all the time.
What capo position is best for F Minor?: A capo on fret 1, fingering Em shapes. It sounds exactly like F Minor but swaps the barre chords for open ones.

Have a chart in F Minor?

Upload the PDF or a photo and move every chord to whatever key you need — the layout stays exactly as printed, capo banner included.

Transpose a chart Capo for F Minor