F♯ Major Scale
F♯ major (enharmonically identical to G♭ major) sits at the farthest point from C on the circle of fifths. Its six sharps give it a brilliant, cutting tone often favoured in orchestral and cinematic writing.
Notes in F♯ Major
The F♯ major scale contains seven notes: F♯ — G♯ — A♯ — B — C♯ — D♯ — E♯. All major scales follow the same interval formula — tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, semitone (T T S T T T S) — applied starting on F♯ (enharmonically the same as G♭ major).
Key Signature
The key signature tells you which notes are permanently sharped or flatted throughout a piece. F♯ major has 6 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯). Its relative minor is D♯ minor — a scale with identical notes but a different tonal centre.
Diatonic Chords
Every major scale generates seven diatonic chords — one built on each scale degree. For F♯ major those are:
In detail: F♯ major, G♯ minor, A♯ minor, B major, C♯ major, D♯ minor, E♯ diminished. The I, IV, and V chords are major (the 'primary' triads); ii, iii, and vi are minor; and the vii chord is diminished.
Famous Songs in F♯ Major
Many iconic recordings were written or recorded in F♯ major:
- "Under the Bridge" – Red Hot Chili Peppers
- "Stairway to Heaven" (intro section) – Led Zeppelin
- "The Chain" – Fleetwood Mac
How to Practise F♯ Major
F♯ major and G♭ major are played identically on piano. Practice reading both spellings — knowing when to use which spelling is an important music theory skill.
Use the MusoKit scale explorer to see F♯ major on an interactive piano keyboard and guitar fretboard, play it back with audio, and explore all seven diatonic modes built from its notes.
Modes of F♯ Major
The seven modes of F♯ major each begin on a different scale degree while keeping the same notes. Starting on the first note gives you F♯ Ionian (identical to F♯ major); starting on the sixth gives you D♯ Aeolian (natural minor). Open the scale explorer and select each mode to hear how the tonal character shifts while the notes remain constant.
FAQs
What are the notes in the F♯ major scale?
The F♯ major scale contains: F♯ — G♯ — A♯ — B — C♯ — D♯ — E♯. There are seven notes, following the whole-step/half-step formula W–W–H–W–W–W–H.
What chords are in the key of F♯ major?
The seven diatonic chords of F♯ major are: F♯ major, G♯ minor, A♯ minor, B major, C♯ major, D♯ minor, E♯ diminished. The I, IV, and V chords (F♯, B, C♯) are the primary triads and form the backbone of most F♯ major progressions.
What is the relative minor of F♯ major?
The relative minor of F♯ major is D♯ minor. They share the same key signature (6 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯)) but have different tonal centres — F♯ major sounds bright and resolved, while D♯ minor sounds darker and more emotionally ambiguous.
How many sharps or flats does F♯ major have?
F♯ major has 6 sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯). Each sharp or flat is applied throughout the entire piece unless cancelled by a natural sign.
What is the F♯ major scale used for?
F♯ major (enharmonically identical to G♭ major) sits at the farthest point from C on the circle of fifths. Its six sharps give it a brilliant, cutting tone often favoured in orchestral and cinematic writing. It suits a wide variety of music genres and is an essential scale for any musician to know.