F# Harmonic Minor Scale on Piano

The F# Harmonic Minor scale sounds tense and dramatic. It runs F# – G# – A – B – C# – D – E# and is written with four sharps.

It shares its key signature with A major, its relative major.

Interval Circle

WHWWHW+HHCC#5Db6D#EE#7F#1GG#2Ab3A#B4

All twelve semitones, root at the top. Filled dots are the notes of the scale, the outer numbers are their degrees, and W / H mark the whole and half steps between them.

About This Scale

Natural minor with the 7th raised back up, restoring the leading tone so dominant harmony works in a minor key. The augmented second it opens between the 6th and 7th degrees is the interval that gives the scale its distinctive edge.

Fingering

Right Hand (ascending)

3-4-1-2-3-1-2-3

Left Hand (ascending)

3-2-1-4-3-2-1-3

Why this fingering

3 black keys (F#, G#, C#) sit in this scale, and the thumb has to avoid them. In the right hand the thumb crosses under onto A and D; let the elbow drift slightly outward as it passes rather than twisting the wrist.

The blue dots on the piano below show which keys to press — they turn green when you play the right note.

Notes in F# Harmonic Minor

NoteIntervalRH FingerLH Finger
F#F#4Root (1)33
G#G#4Major 2nd (2)42
AA4Minor 3rd (b3)11
BB4Perfect 4th (4)24
C#C#5Perfect 5th (5)33
DD5Minor 6th (b6)12
E#E#5Major 7th (7)21
F#F#5Octave (8)33

Other Harmonic Minor Scales

C Harmonic Minor
C – D – Eb – F – G – Ab – B
C# Harmonic Minor
C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A – B#
D Harmonic Minor
D – E – F – G – A – Bb – C#
Eb Harmonic Minor
Eb – F – Gb – Ab – Bb – Cb – D
E Harmonic Minor
E – F# – G – A – B – C – D#
F Harmonic Minor
F – G – Ab – Bb – C – Db – E
G Harmonic Minor
G – A – Bb – C – D – Eb – F#
G# Harmonic Minor
G# – A# – B – C# – D# – E – F##
A Harmonic Minor
A – B – C – D – E – F – G#
Bb Harmonic Minor
Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – Gb – A
B Harmonic Minor
B – C# – D – E – F# – G – A#

Other F# Scales

F# Major
F# – G# – A# – B – C# – D# – E#
F# Natural Minor
F# – G# – A – B – C# – D – E
F# Melodic Minor
F# – G# – A – B – C# – D# – E#
F# Major Pentatonic
F# – G# – A# – C# – D#
F# Minor Pentatonic
F# – A – B – C# – E
F# Blues
F# – A – B – C – C# – E
F# Dorian
F# – G# – A – B – C# – D# – E
F# Mixolydian
F# – G# – A# – B – C# – D# – E
F# Chromatic
F# – G – G# – A – A# – B – C – C# – D – D# – E – F