Fm, minor chord
F, A♭ and C
- Root
- F
- Minor third
- A♭
- Perfect fifth
- C
Formula
1 ♭3 5 (3, 7 half steps above F)
Fingering in root position
| Notes | F | A♭ | C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
F minor inversions
F minor has 2 inversions. Each one keeps the same notes and puts a different one at the bottom, so your hand can stay close to the chord before or after it.
Fm
Root position
| Notes | F | A♭ | C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
Fm/A♭
First inversion
| Notes | A♭ | C | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
Fm/C
Second inversion
| Notes | C | F | A♭ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 2 | 1 |
Keys with F minor
Roman numerals give a chord's place in a key: capitals for major chords, small letters for minor, ° for diminished. F minor appears as:
- i in F minor
- vi in A♭ major
- ii in E♭ major
- iii in D♭ major
- iv in C minor
- v in B♭ minor
How F minor is built
F is the root, A♭ the minor third and C the perfect fifth.
A minor chord is a root, the minor third 3 half steps above it and the perfect fifth 7 half steps above it. Raise the middle note by one key and F minor becomes F major.
Every chord takes every other letter of the alphabet, so the letters of F minor are F, A, C. That is why it is spelled F, A♭ and C.
Find F minor yourself
Without looking at the diagrams, find the chord on the keyboard, then each inversion. Saying the notes out loud as you tap them helps them stick.
Step 1 of 3
Tap the notes of F minor, in any octave and any order.
Practice F minor in real music
MasterPiano gives you new music to read at your level and listens as you play, through a MIDI keyboard or your device's microphone, marking each note right or wrong.
Start freeQuestions
What notes are in the F minor chord?
F minor (Fm) has three notes: F, A♭ and C. F is the root, A♭ the minor third and C the perfect fifth.
What fingers do you use for F minor on piano?
In root position, play F, A♭ and C with right hand fingers 1, 3 and 5 (thumb, middle finger and little finger) and left hand fingers 5, 3 and 1. The fingers change a little in each inversion; every inversion on this page shows its own.
What are the inversions of F minor?
F minor has 2 inversions, one for each note other than the root at the bottom. First inversion (Fm/A♭): A♭, C and F. Second inversion (Fm/C): C, F and A♭.
What key is F minor in?
F minor is i in F minor, its home key. It also appears as vi in A♭ major, ii in E♭ major, iii in D♭ major, iv in C minor and v in B♭ minor.