F# Guitar Chord
F# Major · also written Gb · F#–A#–C#
F# is the F# major chord: F#–A#–C#. Its sound is bright and resolved — the foundational happy sound of pop, rock, country, and folk. It's also written as Gb — same notes, same shapes, different spelling.
You'll meet F# constantly because it lives in several common keys: it's the I chord in F# major, the IV chord in Db major, and the V chord in B major. That makes it a building block of I–IV–V and I–V–vi–IV progressions in those keys.
The most common way to play F# is the e-shape barre at the 2nd fret (2 4 4 3 2 2, low E string to high E string). Below you'll find 6 ways to play it across the neck, from open position to barre and shell voicings, with the theory behind the chord and the progressions it lives in.
How to Play F#: 6 Voicings
Frets are listed from the low E string to the high E string. x = don't play that string, 0 = open string.
F# Chord Theory
| Interval | R | 3 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Note | F# | A# | C# |
F# is built from the F# major scale.
F# Chord FAQ
What notes are in the F# chord?
F# contains 3 notes: F# (R), A# (3), C# (5). The interval formula for a major chord is R–3–5.
What is the easiest way to play F# on guitar?
Use the e-shape barre at the 2nd fret: 2 4 4 3 2 2 (frets listed from the low E string to the high E string, x = don't play that string). F# has no open-position shape in standard tuning, so this movable form is the standard starting point.
What is the difference between F# and F#m?
One note: the 3rd. F# major uses the major 3rd (Bb) while F# minor flattens it to A. That half-step is the entire difference between the bright major sound and the darker minor sound.
Is F# the same as Gb?
Yes. F# and Gb are enharmonic equivalents — the same pitch written two ways. F# and Gb use identical shapes and frets; which spelling you see depends on the key of the song.
What keys use the F# chord?
F# appears diatonically in F# major (as I), Db major (as IV), and B major (as V) — plus Eb minor, its relative minor key.
Related Chords
Hear yourself play F#
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