F minor chords, relative major and Camelot code (4A)
F minor has 4 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭). Its chords are Fm, G°, A♭, B♭m, Cm, D♭ and E♭. The relative major is A♭ major and the Camelot code is 4A, so it mixes cleanly with 3A, 5A and 4B.
Notes in the F minor scale
F minor has 4 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭).
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | G | A♭ | B♭ | C | D♭ | E♭ |
Chords in F minor
Stack every other note of the scale on each degree and you get the seven chords that belong to the key:
| Degree | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| i | Fm | F · A♭ · C |
| ii° | G° | G · B♭ · D♭ |
| III | A♭ | A♭ · C · E♭ |
| iv | B♭m | B♭ · D♭ · F |
| v | Cm | C · E♭ · G |
| VI | D♭ | D♭ · F · A♭ |
| VII | E♭ | E♭ · G · B♭ |
In practice most songs in F minor swap the minor v for C. Raising the seventh note (E♭ to E) gives a leading note that pulls back to F, so C to Fm sounds like arriving home.
Common progressions in F minor
- Fm – D♭ – A♭ – E♭ (i–VI–III–VII): the minor-key pop and trap loop.
- Fm – B♭m – Cm (i–iv–v): the plain minor blues shape.
- Fm – E♭ – D♭ – C (i–VII–VI–V): the descending Andalusian cadence, with a major V.
- Fm – B♭m – E♭ – A♭ (i–iv–VII–III): a common lo-fi and R&B cycle.
Keys that mix with F minor
F minor is 4A on the Camelot wheel. For a clean blend, go to a key next to it:
| Camelot | Key | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| 3A | B♭ minor | One step round the wheel: shares six of its seven notes |
| 5A | C minor | One step the other way: also shares six of seven notes |
| 4B | A♭ major | The relative major: exactly the same notes |
How the wheel works is in the Camelot wheel explained, and how to use it in a set is in harmonic mixing for DJs.
Relative and parallel keys
The relative major, A♭ major, uses exactly the same notes with a different home chord. The parallel major, F major, keeps F as home but changes three notes. More on the difference in relative major and minor keys.
Questions people ask
What chords are in F minor?
Fm (i), G° (ii°), A♭ (III), B♭m (iv), Cm (v), D♭ (VI) and E♭ (VII).
What is the relative major of F minor?
A♭ major. It uses the same 7 notes, F, G, A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, but centres on A♭ instead of F.
What is the Camelot code for F minor?
4A. In Open Key notation it is 9m.
What keys mix well with F minor?
B♭ minor (3A), C minor (5A) and A♭ major (4B). They sit next to 4A on the Camelot wheel.
How many sharps or flats does F minor have?
4 flats (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭).