Skip to content
StrumlySign in
← All 24 keys

Chords in the Key of F Major

Every diatonic triad and seventh chord in F major, with the progressions built from them. Free. No sign-up.

Key facts

Key signature
one flat (Bb)
Scale notes
F · G · A · Bb · C · D · E
Relative minor
D Minor
Parallel minor
F Minor

Diatonic triads

The seven diatonic triads in F Major
DegreeChordQualityNotes
IFmajorF · A · C
iiGmminorG · Bb · D
iiiAmminorA · C · E
IVBbmajorBb · D · F
VCmajorC · E · G
viDmminorD · F · A
vii°EdimdiminishedE · G · Bb

Seventh chords

Stack one more scale tone on each triad and you get the seventh chords — same key, more color.

The seven diatonic seventh chords in F Major
DegreeChordQualityNotes
Imaj7Fmaj7major 7thF · A · C · E
ii7Gm7minor 7thG · Bb · D · F
iii7Am7minor 7thA · C · E · G
IVmaj7Bbmaj7major 7thBb · D · F · A
V7C7dominant 7thC · E · G · Bb
vi7Dm7minor 7thD · F · A · C
viiø7Em7b5half-diminishedE · G · Bb · D

Common progressions in F major

  • I–V–vi–IV

    F – C – Dm – Bb

    The four-chord pop loop — a huge share of modern radio runs on it.

  • I–IV–V

    F – Bb – C

    The three-chord workhorse behind blues, folk, and early rock and roll.

  • ii–V–I

    Gm – C – F

    The jazz cadence — the strongest pull back home in the key.

  • I–vi–IV–V

    F – Dm – Bb – C

    The '50s doo-wop turnaround, still everywhere in ballads.

How the key of F major works

F Major carries one flat (Bb). The scale runs F–G–A–Bb–C–D–E, and stacking every other note of that scale builds the seven chords above — every chord tone comes from those same seven notes.

D Minor is the relative minor: identical key signature, identical seven chords. A song that treats Dm — the vi chord here — as home base is in D minor, even though its chord inventory matches this page exactly.

The parallel minor, F Minor, keeps the same root but flattens the third, sixth, and seventh — its signature shifts to four flats (Bb, Eb, Ab and Db). Borrowing chords across that line is where a lot of songwriting color comes from.

Keep practicing

Knowing the chords in F major is the map; the coach watches you play them and tells you what to fix. Start coaching →