Chord · F/C
F/C Chord
F/C is C, F and A — major triad with the fifth in the bass.
F/C on every instrument
The same 3 notes, 2 sets of hands. Open a diagram for alternate shapes, audio and the mistakes to avoid.
What F/C is made of
F/C (F major second inversion) is built from the notes C, F, A, with the interval pattern 5, 1, 3.
Stack 5, 1 and 3 on a root of F and you get C, F and A. That interval recipe is what makes the chord a major second inversion chord — move the same shape to another root and the character travels with it, which is why C/5 sounds like a transposed F/C.
Major (2nd Inversion): Major triad with the fifth in the bass.
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/C
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 second inversion shape, moved
The identical interval recipe, built on other roots.
Questions people ask about F/C
- What notes are in the F/C chord?
- F/C is made of C, F and A — the 5, 1 and 3 degrees of a major second inversion chord built on F.
- What keys use the F/C chord?
- Every note of F/C 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/C on guitar and piano?
- This page shows F/C on guitar and piano — 2 voicings in total. Each diagram links to the full instrument page with alternate shapes, audio and common mistakes.
- Is F/C the same as F/5?
- Yes. F/C and F/5 are enharmonic — identical pitches written two different ways. Which spelling you use depends on the key you are in; F/C is the spelling this site treats as canonical.
Learn the theory behind it
Why F/C behaves the way it does — the guides that explain the chord instead of just spelling it.