G♯m, minor chord
G♯, B and D♯
- Root
- G♯
- Minor third
- B
- Perfect fifth
- D♯
Formula
1 ♭3 5 (3, 7 half steps above G♯)
Fingering in root position
| Notes | G♯ | B | D♯ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
G♯ minor inversions
G♯ 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.
G♯m
Root position
| Notes | G♯ | B | D♯ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
G♯m/B
First inversion
| Notes | B | D♯ | G♯ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 3 | 1 |
G♯m/D♯
Second inversion
| Notes | D♯ | G♯ | B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 2 | 1 |
Keys with G♯ minor
Roman numerals give a chord's place in a key: capitals for major chords, small letters for minor, ° for diminished. G♯ minor appears as:
- i in G♯ minor
- vi in B major
- ii in F♯ major
- iii in E major
- iv in D♯ minor
- v in C♯ minor
How G♯ minor is built
G♯ is the root, B the minor third and D♯ 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 G♯ minor becomes A♭ major.
Every chord takes every other letter of the alphabet, so the letters of G♯ minor are G, B, D. That is why it is spelled G♯, B and D♯.
Find G♯ 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 G♯ minor, in any octave and any order.
Practice G♯ 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 G♯ minor chord?
G♯ minor (G♯m) has three notes: G♯, B and D♯. G♯ is the root, B the minor third and D♯ the perfect fifth.
What fingers do you use for G♯ minor on piano?
In root position, play G♯, B and D♯ 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 G♯ minor?
G♯ minor has 2 inversions, one for each note other than the root at the bottom. First inversion (G♯m/B): B, D♯ and G♯. Second inversion (G♯m/D♯): D♯, G♯ and B.
Is G♯ minor the same as A♭ minor?
On the piano, yes: they use the same keys. They are written differently, because a chord takes every other letter: G♯ minor is G♯, B and D♯ and A♭ minor is A♭, C♭ and E♭. G♯ minor is the usual name: its key has 5 sharps, while A♭ minor would need 7 flats.