What chords are in the key of F♯ Major?

The key of F♯ Major uses F♯, G♯m, A♯m, B, C♯, D♯m. Those six cover almost every song written in F♯ Major; the seventh, a diminished chord on the leading note, turns up far more rarely.

How many sharps or flats does F♯ Major have?

F♯ Major has 6 sharps in its key signature.

What is the relative minor of F♯ Major?

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

What capo position is best for F♯ Major?

A capo on fret 6, fingering C shapes. It sounds exactly like F♯ Major but swaps the barre chords for open ones.

Chords in the Key of F♯ Major

F♯ Major is built from F♯, G♯m, A♯m, B, C♯, D♯m and carries 6 sharps in its key signature. On guitar it is easiest with a capo on fret 6, fingering C shapes.

The 6 chords of F♯ Major

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

F♯I

G♯mii

A♯miii

BIV

C♯V

D♯mvi

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♯ Major	Role
I	1	F♯	Home chord (tonic)
ii	2m	G♯m	Sets up the V
iii	3m	A♯m	Gentle, wistful
IV	4	B	Subdominant
V	5	C♯	Dominant — pulls home
vi	6m	D♯m	Relative minor

More on this in the Nashville number system guide.

Common progressions in F♯ Major

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

The four-chord song

I – V – vi – IV

The most-used progression in modern pop and worship. If a song feels instantly familiar, it is usually this.

F♯→C♯→D♯m→B

The three-chord trick

I – IV – V

Folk, blues, country and early rock live here. Three chords and the truth.

F♯→B→C♯

The sensitive rotation

vi – IV – I – V

The same four chords starting on the relative minor, which makes it feel wistful rather than triumphant.

D♯m→B→F♯→C♯

The '50s progression

I – vi – IV – V

Doo-wop and slow-dance ballads — think of any song with a swung 6/8 feel.

F♯→D♯m→B→C♯

The jazz cadence

ii – V – I

The strongest resolution in tonal music, and the backbone of jazz standards.

G♯m→C♯→F♯

Playing F♯ Major 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♯ Major asks for barre chords, which is tiring over a full set and a common place for beginners to stall. Put a capo on fret 6 and finger C shapes instead: the song still sounds in F♯ Major, but your hand is doing the easy version. See the full capo breakdown for F♯ Major →

Its relative minor is E♭ Minor — same notes, same key signature, different centre of gravity. The parallel key, F♯ Minor, 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♯ Major

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

Frequently asked questions

What chords are in the key of F♯ Major?: The key of F♯ Major uses F♯, G♯m, A♯m, B, C♯, D♯m. Those six cover almost every song written in F♯ Major; the seventh, a diminished chord on the leading note, turns up far more rarely.
How many sharps or flats does F♯ Major have?: F♯ Major has 6 sharps in its key signature.
What is the relative minor of F♯ Major?: E♭ Minor — it shares the same notes and the same key signature as F♯ Major, just centred on a different home chord. Songs slip between the two all the time.
What capo position is best for F♯ Major?: A capo on fret 6, fingering C shapes. It sounds exactly like F♯ Major but swaps the barre chords for open ones.

Have a chart in F♯ Major?

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♯ Major