F♯ 7th chord on ukulele (F♯7)

Also called or written F♯7, F♯, F♯ Dominant 7th or F♯ Major Minor 7th

F♯ 7th contains F♯, A♯, C♯, and E. The F♯7/A♯ inversion at the 3rd fret requires a wide stretch across four frets, making it a challenging grip.

2frA♯EF♯C♯GCEA
Positions on the neck1 of 3
Practice F♯ 7th chord

How it is built

F♯RootA♯Major thirdC♯Perfect fifthEMinor seventh

Formula 1, 3, 5, ♭7

Inversions

How do you play an F♯ 7th chord on ukulele?

F♯ 7th is played at the 2nd fret as 3 4 2 4: middle finger on the G string at fret 3, ring finger on the C string at fret 4, index finger on the E string at fret 2 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 4.

Full note and interval breakdown
StringFretFingerNote
4 (G)32A♯ (3)
3 (C)43E (♭7)
2 (E)21F♯ (1)
1 (A)44C♯ (5)

AdvancedThe F♯7/A♯ inversion requires a wide stretch from the index on the 2nd string to the pinky on the 1st string, spanning two frets.

6th fret

F♯ 7th is played at the 6th fret as 6 6 6 7: barre your index finger across fret 6 and pinky finger on the A string at fret 7.

Full note and interval breakdown
StringFretFingerNote
4 (G)61 (barre)C♯ (5)
3 (C)61 (barre)F♯ (1)
2 (E)61 (barre)A♯ (3)
1 (A)74E (♭7)

F♯7/A♯ inversion

F♯ 7th is played at the 9th fret as 9 10 9 9: index finger on the G string at fret 9, pinky finger on the C string at fret 10, middle finger on the E string at fret 9 and ring finger on the A string at fret 9.

Full note and interval breakdown
StringFretFingerNote
4 (G)91E (♭7)
3 (C)104A♯ (3)
2 (E)92C♯ (5)
1 (A)93F♯ (1)

Why it sounds like that

F♯ 7th is built from the formula 1, 3, 5, ♭7 on the root F♯. The ♭7, E, gives the chord its dominant pull. Compare it with F♯ major, which lacks the ♭7.

What goes wrong with F♯ 7th?

  • Letting the pinky collapse and deaden the 1st string.
  • Allowing the ring finger to touch the 2nd string, muffling the C♯.
  • Pressing the index too flat so the 2nd string buzzes.

When to use it

F♯ 7th is the V chord in B major, resolving to B major in the I–IV–V–I progression B–E–F♯–B. It also appears in the I–V–vi–IV progression B–F♯–G♯m–E. Use F♯ 7th for blues, rock, and jazz progressions.

Changing to and from F♯ 7th

  • Sliding the shape down one fret to the 2nd fret gives F 7th.
  • Sliding the shape up one fret to the 4th fret gives G 7th.

Which voicing to use

The F♯7/A♯ inversion has A♯ in the bass and is the default shape. The F♯7/E inversion at the 9th fret puts E in the bass and is easier to reach. The F♯7/C♯ inversion at the 6th fret has C♯ in the bass and uses a barre.

Other F♯ chords

Common questions

How is F♯ 7th written?

F♯ 7th is written as F♯7 or F#7. The symbols F♯ and F♯7 both refer to this chord. It is also spelled G♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.

What is the difference between F♯ 7th and F♯ major?

F♯ major contains F♯, A♯, and C♯. F♯ 7th adds the ♭7, E, which creates tension that resolves to B major.

Can I play F♯ 7th with open strings?

No, F♯ 7th has no open-string voicing. The easiest shape is the F♯7/E inversion at the 9th fret.