F♯ Harmonic Minor Scale (F#)
The F# harmonic minor scale contains F# – G# – A – B – C# – D – E#. It is F# natural minor with the 7th raised from E to E#. It keeps the key signature of F# minor (3 sharps: F#, C# and G#), and the E# is written as an accidental.
| Note | F# | G# | A | B | C# | D | E# | F# |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Left hand | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
Piano fingering for one octave going up; 1 is the thumb. Coming down, play the same fingers in reverse.
F# harmonic minor scale fingering
Right hand, going up: the thumb tucks under to A and D. Left hand, going up: finger 3 crosses over the thumb to C# and finger 4 crosses over the thumb to F#. Practise each hand alone, slowly, until the turns are smooth, then play hands together.
F# harmonic minor vs F# natural minor
| Degree | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural | F# | G# | A | B | C# | D | E |
| Harmonic | F# | G# | A | B | C# | D | E# |
Only the 7th changes. E# sits a half step below F#, so it pulls up to the tonic, which E does not. It also leaves a gap of three semitones between D and E#, an augmented 2nd, and that gap is the sound people recognise in this scale.
What F# harmonic minor is used for
Harmonic minor is what makes a minor key cadence. The raised 7th turns the chord on the 5th degree from minor into major, C# (C# E# G#), and that chord resolves firmly to F#m. It also gives the diminished E#dim (E# G# B) on the 7th degree. Most minor-key classical harmony borrows these chords, even when the melody stays in natural minor.
Chords that change from natural minor
Notes and intervals
| Note | Degree | Interval from F# | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| F# | 1 | root | 0 |
| G# | 2 | major 2nd | 2 |
| A | b3 | minor 3rd | 3 |
| B | 4 | perfect 4th | 5 |
| C# | 5 | perfect 5th | 7 |
| D | b6 | minor 6th | 8 |
| E# | 7 | major 7th | 11 |
Step pattern
The harmonic minor scale is built from the pattern W – H – W – W – H – W+H – H (W = whole step, H = half step, W+H = three semitones). Apply that pattern from any starting note and you get the same scale in a different key.
Key signature
F# minor has 3 sharps: F#, C# and G#, and harmonic minor uses the same key signature with one accidental, on the raised 7th: E#. See the key of F# minor for the rest of its chords.
Chords in F# harmonic minor
Stacking thirds on each degree of the scale gives these triads.
| Degree | Numeral | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | i | F#m | F# A C# |
| 2 | ii° | G#dim | G# B D |
| 3 | III+ | Aaug | A C# E# |
| 4 | iv | Bm | B D F# |
| 5 | V | C# | C# E# G# |
| 6 | VI | D | D F# A |
| 7 | vii° | E#dim | E# G# B |
More scales on F#
Harmonic Minor scale in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the F# harmonic minor scale?
The F# harmonic minor scale contains F#, G#, A, B, C#, D, E#, then returns to F# an octave higher.
What is the difference between F# harmonic minor and F# natural minor?
Only the 7th note. F# natural minor has E; F# harmonic minor raises it to E#, a half step below the tonic.
What key signature does F# harmonic minor use?
The key signature of F# minor: 3 sharps: F#, C# and G#. The raised 7th, E#, is written as an accidental.
What is the fingering for the F# harmonic minor scale on piano?
Going up from F# to F#, the right hand plays 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 and the left hand plays 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 4, where 1 is the thumb. Coming down, use the same fingers in reverse.
What is the step pattern of the harmonic minor scale?
It follows the pattern W – H – W – W – H – W+H – H, where W is a whole step (two semitones), H is a half step (one semitone) and W+H is three semitones.