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Guitar chords · Minor 7th

F♯m7 chord on guitar (F#m7)

F♯m7 (F♯ minor 7th) has four notes: F♯, A, C♯ and E, the , ♭3, 5 and ♭7.

Shapes

How to play F♯m7

Strum a shape to hear it, or pick it one string at a time. R marks the ; the other numbers are the chord tones.

F♯m7 has no common . Play it as the E shape at 2 or the A shape at fret 9. A keeps its fingering anywhere on the neck: slide it up or down and the , on the lowest played string, names the chord.

  • E shape · fret 2

    R5♭7♭35RF♯C♯EAC♯F♯
  • A shape · fret 9

    9fr×R5♭7♭35F♯C♯EAC♯
Name a shape you're holding: the chord finder

Notes and formula

What makes F♯m7 minor 7th

A minor is a minor chord with a minor 7th added. It is mellower than a plain minor chord, and it is the ii chord of the ii–V–I in jazz and soul.

  • 1Root: the note the chord is named after. Keep it.
  • 3Essential: makes the chord what it is. Never drop it.
  • 5Optional: drop it first when you run out of fingers.

The ♭3rd and the ♭7th make F♯m7 a minor ; you can leave out the 5th.

  1. F♯Rroot
  2. A♭3essential
  3. C♯5optional
  4. E♭7essential
EADGBE0135791215F♯F♯F♯F♯F♯F♯F♯F♯EAC♯EAC♯EAEAC♯EAC♯EAC♯EAC♯EAC♯E
  • F♯, the root
  • Other chord tones

F♯m7 often leads to B7 and then E: the ii7–V7–I of E major.

F♯m7 and G♭m7 are the same chord with two names: same , same sound. Which one you see depends on the key the song is written in.

Keys

Keys with F♯m7

F♯m7 belongs to six keys: D major (iii7), A major (vi7), E major (ii7), B minor (v7), F♯ minor (i7) and C♯ minor (iv7).

Numerals follow the key's own scale, so III, VI and VII in a minor key are its own major chords. A ♭ or ♯ in front marks a chord from outside the key. How Roman numerals work

Progressions

Progressions with F♯m7

Common progressions that use F♯m7, each in a key that spells it F♯m7. The outlined chord is F♯m7.

  • Jazz ii–V–I in E major

    ii7 – V7 – Imaj7

    1. F♯m7
    2. B7
    3. Emaj7

    Each chord falls a fifth to the next — a walk anticlockwise around the circle.

    Heard in Autumn Leaves, Fly Me to the Moon

  • Minor ii–V–i in F♯ minor

    iiø7 – V7 – i7

    1. G♯m7♭5
    2. C♯7
    3. F♯m7

    Half-diminished ii, dominant V7 and back to the minor tonic.

    Heard in Blue Bossa, Autumn Leaves

Slash chords

F♯m7 over another bass note

A keeps F♯m7 on top and puts another note in the bass: the letter after the slash is the lowest note you play.

  • F♯m7/A

    F♯m7 with its ♭3rd, A, in the bass: the first inversion.

  • F♯m7/C♯

    F♯m7 with its 5th, C♯, in the bass: the second inversion.

  • F♯m7/E

    F♯m7 with its ♭7th, E, in the bass: the third inversion.

Questions

F♯m7, in short

What notes are in the F♯m7 chord?
F♯m7 (F♯ minor 7th) has four notes: F♯, A, C♯ and E, the , ♭3, 5 and ♭7.
How do you play F♯m7 on guitar?
F♯m7 has no common . Play it as the E shape at 2 or the A shape at fret 9.
What key is F♯m7 in?
F♯m7 belongs to six keys: D major (iii7), A major (vi7), E major (ii7), B minor (v7), F♯ minor (i7) and C♯ minor (iv7).
Is F♯m7 the same as G♭m7?
Yes: same frets, same sound, different name. F♯m7 is the spelling in D major, A major, E major, B minor, F♯ minor and C♯ minor. No key on the circle spells it G♭m7, so you will rarely see that name.
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