Explore chords · Guitar
F♯ chord on guitar (F♯ major)
Also called or written F♯, F♯maj, F♯M or F♯ chord
F♯ major contains the notes F♯, A♯, and C♯. The 2nd fret barre shape is a common barre chord for intermediate players.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5
- Root positionF♯–A♯–C♯F♯2-4-4-3-2-2
- First inversionA♯–C♯–F♯F♯/A♯6-4-4-6-×-×
- Second inversionC♯–F♯–A♯F♯/C♯×-4-4-3-2-2
How do you play an F♯ major chord on guitar?
F♯ major is played at the 2nd fret as 2 4 4 3 2 2: barre your index finger across fret 2, ring finger on the A string at fret 4, pinky finger on the D string at fret 4 and middle finger on the G string at fret 3.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 2 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (1) |
| 5 (A) | 4 | 3 | C♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 4 | 4 | F♯ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 3 | 2 | A♯ (3) |
| 2 (B) | 2 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (5) |
| 1 (e) | 2 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (1) |
IntermediateThe index barre must fret all six strings cleanly while the other fingers stretch to the 4th fret.
9th fret
F♯ major is played at the 9th fret as × 9 11 11 11 9: barre your index finger across fret 9, middle finger on the D string at fret 11, ring finger on the G string at fret 11 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 11. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 9 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (1) |
| 4 (D) | 11 | 2 | C♯ (5) |
| 3 (G) | 11 | 3 | F♯ (1) |
| 2 (B) | 11 | 4 | A♯ (3) |
| 1 (e) | 9 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (5) |
F♯/A♯ inversion · fret 4
F♯ major is played at the 4th fret as 6 4 4 6 × ×: ring finger on the low E string at fret 6, index finger on the A string at fret 4, middle finger on the D string at fret 4 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 6. The B and high e strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 6 | 3 | A♯ (3) |
| 5 (A) | 4 | 1 | C♯ (5) |
| 4 (D) | 4 | 2 | F♯ (1) |
| 3 (G) | 6 | 4 | C♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | muted | — | — |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
F♯/A♯ inversion · fret 6
F♯ major is played at the 6th fret as × × 8 6 7 6: pinky finger on the D string at fret 8, index finger on the G string at fret 6, ring finger on the B string at fret 7 and middle finger on the high e string at fret 6. 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) | 8 | 4 | A♯ (3) |
| 3 (G) | 6 | 1 | C♯ (5) |
| 2 (B) | 7 | 3 | F♯ (1) |
| 1 (e) | 6 | 2 | A♯ (3) |
F♯/A♯ inversion · fret 11
F♯ major is played at the 11th fret as × 13 11 11 11 ×: barre your index finger across fret 11 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 13. The low E and high e strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 13 | 4 | A♯ (3) |
| 4 (D) | 11 | 1 (barre) | C♯ (5) |
| 3 (G) | 11 | 1 (barre) | F♯ (1) |
| 2 (B) | 11 | 1 (barre) | A♯ (3) |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
Why it sounds like that
F♯ major is built from the formula 1, 3, 5, with the major third A♯ giving it its bright quality. Compare it to F♯ minor, which lowers the third to A.
What goes wrong with F♯ major?
- Not pressing the barre hard enough, causing the high e to buzz.
- Letting the middle finger touch the D string and deaden it.
When to use it
F♯ major is the tonic in F♯ major, so it anchors progressions like F♯–B–C♯, the I–IV–V. It also appears in B major and C♯ major keys. Use it for rock, metal, and pop.
Changing to and from F♯ major
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 1st fret gives F major.
- From F♯ major to B major, move the barre to the 2nd fret and adjust the other fingers to the B shape.
Which voicing to use
The 2nd fret barre shape is the standard, but the F♯/A♯ inversion with A♯ in the bass offers a different sound. The 9th fret barre shape gives a higher voicing.
Other F♯ chords
Common questions
How is F♯ major written?
F♯ major is written as F♯, F♯maj, or F♯M. On a keyboard, use the ASCII root F#. It is also spelled G♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
What is the difference between F♯ major and F♯ minor?
F♯ major has a major third (A♯), while F♯ minor has a minor third (A). This changes the chord from bright to somber.
Why does the 2nd fret F♯ major shape use a full barre?
All six strings are chord tones, so they can all ring out. The barre allows the chord to be played with F♯ in the bass.