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F Major Chord

F major combines F, A and C. It is home in F major and a chord that leads to B flat in B-flat major. On guitar, its low barre grip is also a movable shape worth recognizing.

  • Notes: F-A-C
  • Symbol: F
  • Home chord of F major
  • Leads to B flat
Switch chordF

How to play an F major chord

Notes: F - A - C · symbol F

  • Root position

    F - A - C
    C5
    Right hand 1-3-5 · Left 5-3-1

  • 1st inversion

    A - C - F
    C5
    Right hand 1-2-5 · Left 5-3-1

  • 2nd inversion

    C - F - A
    C5
    Right hand 1-3-5 · Left 5-2-1

Where does F major belong?

All three notes come from the F major scale, so F major is the home chord of that key.
Press play on the role cards to hear the same chord do different jobs elsewhere; Diatonic Chords explains the numbered roles.

  • In F majorHome
    I

    A song in F major keeps coming back to this chord.

    BbIVCVFI
  • In Bb majorTension
    V

    It pulls back to Bb: A wants to rise one half step to B flat.

    BbIEbIVFVBbI
  • In C majorA step away
    IV

    A warm move away from C, softer than the V that follows.

    CIFIVGVCI
  • In Bb minorMinor-key dominant
    V

    Harmonic minor raises the third to A, so Bbm sounds truly finished.

    BbmiEbmivFVBbmi

Progressions to try

  • FBbCF

    I-IV-V-I in F major returns after C.

  • FCDmBb

    The I-V-vi-IV loop visits D minor before B flat turns it around.

  • BbEbFBb

    F acts as V in B flat major; the last Bb answers it.

  • BbmEbmFBbm

    F is the major V in B flat minor, with A natural leading to Bb.

Which shape should you use?

On guitar, Use the 133211 barre at the 1st fret for a low F. The x87565 grip puts F higher and leaves out the lowest string.

On ukulele, 2010 is an open ukulele grip; 5558 moves the same chord higher.

On piano, choose the first inversion when coming from the nearby chord B flat-D-F. Play F as A-C-F: F stays in place while B flat moves to A and D moves to C.

What are the inversions?

F is the root. A is the major third, four semitones above it; C is the fifth, seven semitones above it.

  • Root position: F-A-C, with F lowest.
  • First inversion: A-C-F, written F/A when A is the lowest note.
  • Second inversion: C-F-A, written F/C when C is the lowest note.

A separate bass instrument can change the lowest note even when the right hand plays an inversion. Chord Inversions explains what the slash tells the player.

How does F minor differ?

Keep F and C; lower only A to A flat. The result is F-A flat-C, the F minor chord. Use the comparer to hear that single change before judging the whole sound.

  • F

    F - A - C
    C5

    F major

  • Fm

    F - Ab - C
    C5

    F minor

Try another chord