Chord · F Major
F Chord
F is F, A and C — bright, stable. The reference triad.
F on every instrument
The same 3 notes, 6 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.
What F is made of
F (F major) is built from the notes F, A, C, with the interval pattern 1, 3, 5.
Stack 1, 3 and 5 on a root of F and you get F, A and C. That interval recipe is what makes the chord a major chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why C sounds like a transposed F.
Major: Bright, stable. The reference triad.
Spelling: the notes above are written the way a score would write them, not simplified to the nearest piano key. Every tone here lands on its own letter — no accidentals needed.
Keys that contain F
All 3 notes sit inside the scale of 6 keys. The roman numeral marks the degree the chord is rooted on.
Other chords on F
Same root, different colour.
The same major shape, moved
The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.
Questions people ask about F
- What notes are in the F chord?
- F is made of F, A and C — the 1, 3 and 5 degrees of a major chord built on F.
- What keys use the F chord?
- Every note of F belongs to 6 keys: C Major (IV), F Major (I), Bb Major (V), A Minor (VI), D Minor (III), G Minor (VII). The roman numeral is the scale degree the chord is rooted on.
- How do you play F on guitar and piano?
- This page shows F on guitar, piano, ukulele, bass, mandolin and banjo — 23 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
Learn the theory behind it
Why F behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.