Explore chords · Guitar
F♯ 7th sharp 5 chord on guitar (F♯7♯5)
Also called or written F♯7♯5, F♯ or F♯ Dominant 7th ♯5
F♯ 7th sharp 5 contains F♯, A♯, C♯♯, and E. The open voicing uses all six strings, with the middle finger on fret 2 and the pinky on fret 3.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, ♯5, ♭7
- Root positionF♯–A♯–C♯♯–EF♯7♯52-1-0-3-3-0
- First inversionA♯–C♯♯–E–F♯F♯7♯5/A♯×-13-12-11-11-12
- Second inversionC♯♯–E–F♯–A♯F♯7♯5/C♯♯×-5-4-3-5-×
- Third inversionE–F♯–A♯–C♯♯F♯7♯5/E0-1-0-3-3-2
How do you play an F♯ 7th sharp 5 chord on guitar?
F♯ 7th sharp 5 is played in open position as 2 1 0 3 3 0: middle finger on the low E string at fret 2, index finger on the A string at fret 1, ring finger on the G string at fret 3 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 3. The D and high e strings ring open.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 2 | 2 | F♯ (1) |
| 5 (A) | 1 | 1 | A♯ (3) |
| 4 (D) | open | — | C♯♯ (♯5) |
| 3 (G) | 3 | 3 | A♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | 3 | 4 | C♯♯ (♯5) |
| 1 (e) | open | — | E (♭7) |
AdvancedThe pinky must fret the 2nd string at fret 3 while the ring finger holds fret 3 on the 3rd string, requiring a compact stretch.
F♯7♯5/A♯ inversion
F♯ 7th sharp 5 is played at the 11th fret as × 13 12 11 11 12: barre your index finger across fret 11, pinky finger on the A string at fret 13, middle finger on the D string at fret 12 and ring finger on the high e string at fret 12. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 13 | 4 | A♯ (3) |
| 4 (D) | 12 | 2 | C♯♯ (♯5) |
| 3 (G) | 11 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (1) |
| 2 (B) | 11 | 1 (barre) | A♯ (3) |
| 1 (e) | 12 | 3 | E (♭7) |
F♯7♯5/C♯♯ inversion · fret 3
F♯ 7th sharp 5 is played at the 3rd fret as × 5 4 3 5 ×: ring finger on the A string at fret 5, middle finger on the D string at fret 4, index finger on the G string at fret 3 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 5. The low E and high e strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 5 | 3 | C♯♯ (♯5) |
| 4 (D) | 4 | 2 | F♯ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 3 | 1 | A♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | 5 | 4 | E (♭7) |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
F♯7♯5/C♯♯ inversion · fret 8
F♯ 7th sharp 5 is played at the 8th fret as 10 9 8 9 × ×: pinky finger on the low E string at fret 10, middle finger on the A string at fret 9, index finger on the D string at fret 8 and ring finger on the G string at fret 9. The B and high e strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 10 | 4 | C♯♯ (♯5) |
| 5 (A) | 9 | 2 | F♯ (1) |
| 4 (D) | 8 | 1 | A♯ (3) |
| 3 (G) | 9 | 3 | E (♭7) |
| 2 (B) | muted | — | — |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
F♯7♯5/C♯♯ inversion · fret 11
F♯ 7th sharp 5 is played at the 11th fret as × × 12 11 11 12: ring finger on the D string at fret 12, index finger on the G string at fret 11, middle finger on the B string at fret 11 and pinky finger on the high e string at fret 12. The low E and A strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | muted | — | — |
| 4 (D) | 12 | 3 | C♯♯ (♯5) |
| 3 (G) | 11 | 1 | F♯ (1) |
| 2 (B) | 11 | 2 | A♯ (3) |
| 1 (e) | 12 | 4 | E (♭7) |
Why it sounds like that
F♯ 7th sharp 5 is built from the formula 1, 3, ♯5, ♭7. The augmented 5th between F♯ and C♯♯ gives the chord its tense quality. Compare it with F♯ 7th, which has a perfect 5th.
What goes wrong with F♯ 7th sharp 5?
- Letting the pinky collapse and mute the 1st string.
- Fretting the 4th string accidentally with the ring finger.
- Strumming the 6th string too hard and overpowering the chord.
When to use it
F♯ 7th sharp 5 acts as a dominant chord in B major, often resolving to B major. Its bright, tense sound suits jazz and fusion. Compare it with F♯ major to hear the difference between the sharp 5 and the perfect 5.
Changing to and from F♯ 7th sharp 5
- Sliding the shape down two frets to the 1st fret gives E 7th sharp 5.
Which voicing to use
The open voicing keeps F♯ in the bass, while the F♯7♯5/B♭ inversion puts A♯ in the bass for a smoother transition. The F♯7♯5/D inversion places C♯♯ in the bass, emphasizing the augmented 5th.
Other F♯ chords
Common questions
How is F♯ 7th sharp 5 written?
F♯ 7th sharp 5 is written as F♯7♯5 or F♯. The ASCII root is F#. It is also spelled G♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between F♯ 7th sharp 5 and F♯ augmented?
F♯ augmented has no 7th, so it contains only F♯, A♯, and C♯♯. F♯ 7th sharp 5 adds the minor 7th E, creating a dominant sound.
Why does F♯ 7th sharp 5 sound unstable?
The augmented 5th interval between F♯ and C♯♯ is dissonant. The tritone between A♯ and E adds further tension.
Can F♯ 7th sharp 5 be played in open position?
Yes, the open voicing uses open strings on the 4th and 1st strings, making it accessible but requiring careful finger placement.