F♯ major scale on guitar
The F♯ major scale has seven notes: F♯, G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯ and E♯ (1 2 3 4 5 6 7). The do-re-mi scale that every other scale is measured against. Bright and settled; it fits major and maj7 chords, and the other six modes are this scale started from a different note.
| Note | F♯ | G♯ | A♯ | B | C♯ | D♯ | E♯ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | 1 (root) | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Step to the next | whole | whole | half | whole | whole | whole | half |
5 positions to learn it in
On guitar a seven-note scale is learnt in five shapes, each built round one of the open chord shapes C, A, G, E and D. Together they cover the neck. Press Play to hear each one, up and back down.
Chords that go with the F♯ major scale
The chords on each note of the scale that use only its notes. Play over any of them and every note fits; F♯ (F♯) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (F♯) | F♯home | F♯maj7home |
| 2 (G♯) | G♯mrestless | G♯m7restless |
| 3 (A♯) | A♯mhalf-light | A♯m7half-light |
| 4 (B) | Bthe door | Bmaj7the door |
| 5 (C♯) | C♯the pull | C♯7the pull |
| 6 (D♯) | D♯mthe shadow | D♯m7the shadow |
| 7 (E♯) | E♯dimthe edge | E♯m7♭5the edge |
Scales with the same notes
Its relative minor is the E♭ minor scale: the same notes, started from E♭.
The chords of this key, to hear and play: chords in the key of F♯ major.
Questions
What notes are in the F♯ major scale?
F♯, G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯ and E♯. Its intervals from the root are 1 2 3 4 5 6 7, and the steps between its notes are W W H W W W H (W a whole step, H a half step).
What chords go with the F♯ major scale?
The chords made only of its notes: F♯, G♯m, A♯m, B, C♯, D♯m and E♯dim, and as seventh chords F♯maj7, G♯m7, A♯m7, Bmaj7, C♯7, D♯m7 and E♯m7♭5. F♯ is home: F♯ is the chord it sounds most settled over.
What is the relative minor of the F♯ major scale?
The E♭ minor scale, which has the same notes started from E♭.
The major scale in every key
Other scales in F♯
F♯ minorF♯ minor pentatonicF♯ major pentatonicF♯ bluesF♯ DorianF♯ MixolydianF♯ LydianF♯ PhrygianF♯ harmonic minorF♯ melodic minorF♯ Phrygian dominant
Practise it on a sheet of your own in the practice sheet maker, with a metronome and a drone. Every scale: guitar scales. This scale on bass, ukulele, mandolin and banjo.