Learn all about the F-sharp major scale on piano, including its notes, diatonic chords, finger positions, relative minor, and fun songs in this key.
Are you interested in learning how to play the F♯ major scale on piano? This scale creates an interesting and exciting key, so knowing it can unlock some fascinating music! Let’s start learning how to play this scale on the piano and the music you can learn in this key.
Want to learn how to play all of your major scales? Download our free Guide to All Major Scales. To learn more about all kinds of piano scales, check out our All Piano Scales Guide: Major, Minor & More!
The F-sharp major piano scale at a glance
- This scale is challenging for beginners: F-sharp major is known for its complex key signature, which has six sharps. This can make reading and writing music in F-sharp major more challenging than in keys with fewer sharps.
- Character and mood: The key of F-sharp major is often associated with a clear, soft, and rich tone. It is less commonly used than other major keys, but lends a lovely color to music. Some popular songs with these qualities are “A Sky Full of Stars” by Coldplay and “You Belong With Me” by Taylor Swift.
- This scale involves advanced technical development: For performers, mastering this scale can be a significant technical achievement, showcasing an advanced level of skill and understanding.
The notes of the F-sharp major scale
The scale of F♯ major starts on F♯ and has six sharps in its key signature. The notes of the scale are F♯ (F sharp), G♯ (G sharp), A♯ (A sharp), B, C♯ (C sharp), D♯ (D sharp), E♯ (E sharp, which is enharmonically equivalent to F), and F♯.
F-sharp major key signature
F♯ major has six sharps, F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, and E♯, which are always written in that order in the key signature. Note that the only note in the scale that isn’t sharp is B.
Here’s a useful tip to help you identify any sharp major key from its key signature. Find the last sharp in the key signature, and then go up one half step. That will be the tonic, the first note of the scale, and the name of the key. If you look at the key signature below, the last sharp is E♯. One half step up from E♯ is F♯. This is the key of F♯ major.
The relative minor of F-sharp major
The relative minor of the F♯ major scale is D♯ minor. This scale shares the same key signature as F♯ major, which contains six sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, and E♯. It is rare to see D♯ minor: most composers use its enharmonic equivalent, E♭ minor, even though it trades six sharps for six flats!
The relative minor scale begins on the sixth degree of the major scale, which, in this case, is D♯. It is used often to create a contrasting, darker, and more somber mood in comparison to its relative major counterpart.
How do you play the F-sharp piano major scale?
You can watch the video above to see the F-sharp major piano pentascale played by Mr. Hoffman!
Here’s is the right hand placement for the ascending one-octave F-sharp major scale:
2 on F♯
3 on G♯
4 on A♯
Pass the thumb under
1 on B
2 on C♯
3 on D♯
Pass the thumb under
1 on E♯
2 on F♯
Left hand placement for the ascending F♯ major scale:
4 on F♯
3 on G♯
2 on A♯
1 on B
Cross the 3rd finger over
3 on C♯
2 on D♯
1 on E♯
Cross the 4th finger over
4 on F♯
When coming down the scale, reverse the finger order like this:
Right hand:
2 on F♯
1 on E♯
Cross the 3rd finger over
3 on D♯
2 on C♯
1 on B
Cross the 4th finger over
4 on A♯
3 on G♯
2 on F♯
Left hand:
4 on F♯
Pass the thumb under
1 on E♯
2 on D♯
3 on C♯
Pass the thumb under
1 on B
2 on A♯
3 on G♯
4 on F♯
Diatonic chords in the key of F-sharp major
Just as with any other scale, we can use the F-sharp major scale to create diatonic chords by stacking thirds on top of each scale degree. Here are the triads (three-note chords) that naturally occur within this scale:
- F♯ Major (I) – F♯, A♯, C♯
- G♯ minor (ii) – G♯, B, D♯
- A♯ minor (iii) – A♯, C♯, E♯ (note that E♯ is enharmonically equivalent to F)
- B Major (IV) – B, D♯, F♯
- C♯ Major (V) – C♯, E♯, G♯ (note that E♯ is enharmonically equivalent to F)
- D♯ minor (vi) – D♯, F♯, A♯
- E♯ diminished (vii°) – E♯, G♯, B (note that E♯ is enharmonically equivalent to F)
The above chords can be used to create chord progressions in the key of F-sharp major. You can extend these chords into 7th chords, 9th chords, etc., by stacking additional thirds on top of these triads to create richer harmonies.
If you’d like some handy reference guides for chords and triads in all keys, download these free resources from the Hoffman Academy Store:
Music in the key of F-sharp major
Classical:
- Piano Sonata No. 24 in F-sharp major – Ludwig van Beethoven
- “Les jeux d’eaux à la Villa d’Este” from Années de Pèlerinage – Franz Liszt
- “Va, Pensiero” from Nabucco – Giuseppe Verdi
Pop/Rock:
- “A Sky Full of Stars” by Coldplay
- “You Belong With Me” by Taylor Swift
We hope you’ve had fun learning about the F♯ major piano scale and the different songs that you can enjoy in this key! To learn more about major scales and how to play them, check out Hoffman Academy’s free guide to all major scales. For more piano resources, sign up for our Premium membership!