How to play F#m (F sharp minor)

Lesson #192 • Nov 18, 2018

Video Overview

Instructional PDF 3 pages

Follow along with the print-friendly PDF! It includes all of my notes for this lesson, allowing you to follow along at your own pace. You're free to download, print, and share the PDF across your devices.

Thanks for being a Premium member of Song Notes! Your support makes these lessons possible.

Download PDF

Follow along with the print-friendly PDF!

It includes all of my notes for this lesson, allowing you to follow along at your own pace. You're free to download, print, and share the PDF across your devices.

To download the PDF, upgrade to premium or log in.

Editor’s notes

In this lesson, I’ll teach you how to play the F#m chord (F sharp minor). This is usually one of the very first barre chords you’ll run into while learning how to play ye olde guitar - the others being F-major and B-minor. Unlike those two chords, you’re only using 3 of your left hand fingers for the F#m - which makes it more approachable for beginners, I would argue. I’ll teach you how to play it, show a simplified version, and give a through practice exercises you can use to get fully comfortable with this chord. Let’s do it!

How to play the chord

In tablature form, the chord looks like this. From thickest to thinnest strings, the frets we’ll playing are 2-4-4-2-2-2. Your left index finger is going to play all of the 2nd fret notes, by barring them. Your left hand’s ring and pinky fingers will be used on the 4th fret notes.

E –––2––––  <= left index finger (barred)
B –––2––––  <= left index finger (barred)
G –––2––––  <= left index finger (barred)
D –––4––––  <= left pinky finger
A –––4––––  <= left ring finger
E –––2––––  <= left index (barred)

Simplifying F#m: 4-string version

If the full 6-string version is giving you a hard time, I recommend starting by just playing the thinnest 4 strings. From thickest to thinnest string (of the 4 strings), this would be 4-2-2-2. Note, your left ring finger is what you’ll use on the 4th string - which is different from you use in the full 6-string version (where your pinky plays that note).

E –––2––––  <= left index finger (barred)
B –––2––––  <= left index finger (barred)
G –––2––––  <= left index finger (barred)
D –––4––––  <= left ring finger
A ––––––––  
E ––––––––  

Simplifying F#m: power chord version

Another angle you could take in simplifying F#m is to only play the thickest 3 strings. This is beneficial because no barring is required at all! Also, utilizes the very helpful “power chord shape” that is often used on the thickest 3 strings. The shape looks like this. It could be used to replace a 4- or 6-string version of F#m, though it won’t sound as full. Finally, I should note that all power chords are neither major nor minor (because they only have the root and the 5th, lacking the “third” tone which determines major vs. minor).

E ––––––––  
B ––––––––  
G ––––––––  
D –––4––––  <= left pinky finger
A –––4––––  <= left ring finger
E –––2––––  <= left index finger

Building up barre chord strength

If you find yourself totally stumped by the barring technique, here’s some advice. First, check out the video I made Barre Chord Strength Training, where I show you the practice exercise that I used to finally get over the barre chord hump. Understand that it may seem impossible at first! Don’t let that stop you.

The exercise I outline in that video involves barring just 2 strings (with your left index finger) at a time, until you’re comfortable with it. Then, barre 3 strings… be able to play the 3 strings clearly, over and over. Then go to 4 strings, then 5, etc. This will take a few days (or weeks) - but even a few minutes of practice every day will get your muscles where they need to be. Persistence is the most important thing here.

E –––2–––  –––2–––  –––2–––  –––2–––  –––2–––
B –––2–––  –––2–––  –––2–––  –––2–––  –––2–––   Start off on the far left, only barring
G –––––––  –––2–––  –––2–––  –––2–––  –––2–––   2 of the strings. Then add the 3rd string
D –––––––  –––––––  –––2–––  –––2–––  –––2–––   (etc). Find the place where you start to
A –––––––  –––––––  –––––––  –––2–––  –––2–––   have trouble, and focus on improving that
E –––––––  –––––––  –––––––  –––––––  –––2–––   before moving on.

Fingerpicking exercise using F#m

Here’s a fingerpicking exercise you could use to move between A, F#m, D, and E. See my video lesson for reference. Even if you strummed these chords (instead of fingerpicking), the practice benefit would remain the same. The main idea here, when learning something new, is to mix it up with other things you already know - hopefully in ways that sound pleasing to the ear. Because playing one chord over and over is going to get old, fast.

E –––––––––––––––––––––––2–––––––––––
B ––––––2––––––––2–––––––3–––––––0–––
G ––––––2––––––2–––––––2–––––––––1–––
D ––––2––––––4–––––––0–––––––––2–––––
A ––0––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
E –––––––––––––––––––––––––––0–––––––
    A        F#m     D       E

How learning F#m makes an A-major barre chord easier

As I show in the video lesson, there’s a very useful technique that is unlocked if you get the F#m barre under your control. Specifically, you can use just your left index finger (barred on the 2nd fret of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th strings) to play an A-major chord. Note, you’re only playing the middle 4 (of all 6) strings. This frees up your left middle and ring finger to add flourish notes - as I show in the tab below. Many, many, many songs use this technique! Again, see my video lesson for reference.

E –––––                                 E –––––                        
B ––2––  <= left index (barred)         B ––3––  <= left middle
G ––2––  <= left index (barred)         G ––2––  <= left index (barred)
D ––2––  <= left index (barred)         D ––4––  <= left ring
A ––0––                                 A ––0––                        
E –––––                                 E –––––                        
    A                                       A*                                                  

Songs that use the F#m chord

There are obviously many songs that use this chord. Here’s the first few lines of a few that come to mind - where F#m is part of the main chord progression. If you know either (or both) of these songs, I wanted to share them as an example of something to strive for - i.e., being able to play through these chord progressions, F#m included, to

Tuesday’s Gone by Lynyrd Skynyrd:

A             E     F#m           D
...Train roll on..... on down the line, won’t you
A                 E       D
...Please take me far... away
A                     E      F#m           D
...Now, feel the wind blow..... outside my door, means I’m
A                 E           D
...I’m leaving my woman... at home

Lookin’ Out My Back Door by Creedence Clearwater Revival:

A                            F#m
Just got home from Illinois, lock the front door, oh boy
D          A               E
Got to sit down and take a rest on the porch
A                    F#m
Imagination sets in, pretty soon I’m singing
D         A              E           A
Doo, doo, doo... lookin’ out my back door

Good luck!

I hope this was helpful for you. As always, it’s best to see my video lesson for reference. Please let me know what questions you have, and until next time - best of luck!

Unlock My Secret Stash!

Gain instant access to my library of 217 print-friendly cheat sheets! Also includes my extended video lessons, jam tracks, courses, and more.

Join Song Notes Premium

Have questions? Watch video tour »

Browse Related Lessons

Click any tag below to view other lessons I've made in that category:

Enjoy my lessons? Buy me a beer!

If this and my other lessons have proven helpful to you, please consider making a one-time donation to my tip jar. Contributions of any amount help make this project possible (including the many, many hours I put into it).

Fun & Helpful Tools I've Made

Fret Monster

Interactive fretboard map! See the patterns behind every scale in any key.

View

Capo Captain

An easy way to calculate key & chord combinations, for any capo location!

View

Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Be sure to never miss a lesson by subscribing on YouTube. I put out 2-3 new videos every week. These include full song lessons, as well as covers, practice tips, behind-the-scenes updates. Thanks!


Recent Lessons

  • March 22, 2024

    Lead Guitar & the F1 Theme Song

    Let's look at the catchy Formula 1 theme song and learn how to play it on lead guitar...including handy trick for dealing with the key change.

  • March 15, 2023

    Pink Floyd's "Breathe" - with Simpler Chords Included

    Learn to play through Pink Floyd's 1973 classic! I'll teach the chords they use, while also showing a handful of useful simplifications and riffs to make this work on a single acoustic guitar.

  • March 6, 2024

    Q&A: 8 Tips to Avoid Muting Strings

    If you're frustrated by muffled, muted, or buzzing strings when playing chords, you're not alone! Here's 8 tips to avoid this common issue.

  • March 1, 2024

    Blues Shuffle Riffs - Using Just 2 Strings!

    A step-by-step introduction to blues shuffle riffs in open position, which are an amazingly fun-to-play way to get that blues sound with just a few fingers.

  • February 16, 2024

    Soulful Lead Guitar with "America the Beautiful"

    Here's a few ways to approach playing melodic lead guitar over America is Beautiful - shown both on an acoustic and electric guitar. Lots of fun!

  • February 8, 2024

    Country Honk by The Rolling Stones

    Let's learn how to play The Stones' acoustic & countrified version of Honky Tonk Women — with all the riffs included!

  • January 31, 2024

    Beginner Blues - New Course Sneak Peek!

    Watch the first three videos of my upcoming course, Beginner Blues Guitar — where I'll teach youthe 12 bar blues, dominant 7th chords, and the shuffle (swing) rhythm.

  • January 23, 2024

    Strumming with Accented Notes

    A deep-dive into this must-know intermediate strumming technique, with step-by-step exercises to get up to speed! Featuring the Green Day song Time of Your Life.

  • January 13, 2024

    Lead Guitar Finger Placement – ft. La Sitiera (The Mavericks)

    Ever find yourself learning a riff, and not being sure which fingers to use? I'll give you a few tips in this video that'll help, no matter what you're playing!

  • January 9, 2024

    Hybrid Fingerstyle - First Steps!

    Let's look at combining percussive strumming with Travis-style fingerpicking melodies. I'll show 4-5 exercises & song examples to get you started.

Browse All Recent Lessons →

Browse All My Lessons

By lesson type

By technique

By musical genre

By decade

By musical key

By popular artist


← back to homepage