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Chords in the Key of F Minor

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

Key facts

Key signature
four flats (Bb, Eb, Ab and Db)
Scale notes
F · G · Ab · Bb · C · Db · Eb
Relative major
Ab Major
Parallel major
F Major

Diatonic triads

The seven diatonic triads in F Minor
DegreeChordQualityNotes
iFmminorF · Ab · C
ii°GdimdiminishedG · Bb · Db
IIIAbmajorAb · C · Eb
ivBbmminorBb · Db · F
vCmminorC · Eb · G
VIDbmajorDb · F · Ab
VIIEbmajorEb · 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 Minor
DegreeChordQualityNotes
i7Fm7minor 7thF · Ab · C · Eb
iiø7Gm7b5half-diminishedG · Bb · Db · F
IIImaj7Abmaj7major 7thAb · C · Eb · G
iv7Bbm7minor 7thBb · Db · F · Ab
v7Cm7minor 7thC · Eb · G · Bb
VImaj7Dbmaj7major 7thDb · F · Ab · C
VII7Eb7dominant 7thEb · G · Bb · Db

Common progressions in F minor

  • i–VI–III–VII

    Fm – Db – Ab – Eb

    The minor pop loop — same four chords as the major axis, started from the minor side.

  • i–iv–v

    Fm – Bbm – Cm

    The minor blues shape — all three chords stay minor in the natural scale.

  • i–VII–VI

    Fm – Eb – Db

    The descending rock lament, one whole step at a time.

  • i–iv–VII–III

    Fm – Bbm – Eb – Ab

    A circle-of-fifths descent — each root falls a fifth to the next.

How the key of F minor works

F Minor carries four flats (Bb, Eb, Ab and Db). The scale runs F–G–Ab–Bb–C–Db–Eb, and stacking every other note of that scale builds the seven chords above — every chord tone comes from those same seven notes.

Ab Major is the relative major: identical key signature, identical seven chords. Treat Ab — the III chord here — as home base and you are in Ab major without changing a note.

The parallel major, F Major, keeps the same root but raises the third, sixth, and seventh — its signature shifts to one flat (Bb). Moving a section from minor to parallel major is one of the oldest brightness tricks in songwriting.

Keep practicing

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