Explore chords · Ukulele
F 7th sharp 5 chord on ukulele (F7♯5)
Also called or written F7♯5, F or F Dominant 7th ♯5
F 7th sharp 5 is built from F, A, C♯ and E♭. The 6-5-5-6 grip is a mid-neck four-finger shape with a wide stretch.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, ♯5, ♭7
How do you play an F 7th sharp 5 chord on ukulele?
F 7th sharp 5 is played at the 5th fret as 6 5 5 6: ring finger on the G string at fret 6, index finger on the C string at fret 5, middle finger on the E string at fret 5 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 6.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 6 | 3 | C♯ (♯5) |
| 3 (C) | 5 | 1 | F (1) |
| 2 (E) | 5 | 2 | A (3) |
| 1 (A) | 6 | 4 | E♭ (♭7) |
AdvancedThe four-finger stretch across frets 5 and 6, with the pinky reaching fret 6 on the A string, is the hardest part.
F7♯5/A inversion
F 7th sharp 5 is played at the 8th fret as 8 9 9 8: index finger on the G string at fret 8, ring finger on the C string at fret 9, pinky finger on the E string at fret 9 and middle finger on the A string at fret 8.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 (G) | 8 | 1 | E♭ (♭7) |
| 3 (C) | 9 | 3 | A (3) |
| 2 (E) | 9 | 4 | C♯ (♯5) |
| 1 (A) | 8 | 2 | F (1) |
Why it sounds like that
F 7th sharp 5 stacks a major 3rd, an augmented 5th and a minor 7th over the root. The augmented 5th, C♯, is what separates it from F 7th, whose 5th is C natural. That raised 5th creates a tritone with the 3rd, A, giving the chord its tense dominant colour.
What goes wrong with F 7th sharp 5?
- Letting the pinky flatten onto the A string and deaden the note at fret 6.
- Not arching the ring finger enough, causing the G string at fret 6 to buzz.
When to use it
F 7th sharp 5 works as a tense dominant in jazz or blues, especially over F aeolian dominant or F altered scales. Use it to add tension before resolving to F major.
Changing to and from F 7th sharp 5
- Sliding the shape down one fret to the 4th fret gives E 7th sharp 5.
Which voicing to use
The default F7♯5/C♯ inversion puts the augmented 5th, C♯, in the bass, which makes the chord sound unstable and restless. The F7♯5/E♭ inversion, with the ♭7 in the bass, is higher and slightly brighter.
Other F chords
Common questions
How is F 7th sharp 5 written?
F 7th sharp 5 is written as F7♯5 or F. It is also called Dominant 7th ♯5.
What is the difference between F 7th sharp 5 and F augmented?
F augmented has no 7th: it is F, A and C♯. F 7th sharp 5 adds the minor 7th, E♭, which makes it a dominant chord rather than a pure augmented triad.
Why does F 7th sharp 5 sound so tense?
The augmented 5th, C♯, forms a tritone with the 3rd, A. That tritone is the engine of dominant tension, pulling the chord toward its resolution.