The F# major scale has six sharps — F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, and E# — and sits at the far end of the sharp side of the circle of fifths. It's enharmonically equivalent to G♭ major (six flats); composers choose between them based on context.
Interval pattern
The F# major scale is built from this fixed pattern of whole steps (W) and half steps (H):
- Wwhole
- Wwhole
- Hhalf
- Wwhole
- Wwhole
- Wwhole
- Hhalf
Every major scale uses this same pattern, transposed to start on a different tonic. The half-steps fall between scale degrees 3–4 and 7–8.
Scale degrees and intervals
Each note of the scale, with its scale-degree name and interval from the root:
| Degree | Note | Interval from root | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F# | Root | Tonic |
| 2 | G# | M2 | Supertonic |
| 3 | A# | M3 | Mediant |
| 4 | B | P4 | Subdominant |
| 5 | C# | P5 | Dominant |
| 6 | D# | M6 | Submediant |
| 7 | E# | M7 | Subtonic / Leading tone |
In melody and improvisation
Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier includes a famous Prelude and Fugue in F# major. The scale appears in jazz when a tune transposes to fit a vocalist, and in classical music as a remote modulation target.
Relative key
The F# major scale shares its notes with D# minor. Same seven pitches, different tonal centre — when a piece moves between them, no accidentals change.
Common mistakes
The unusual sharp here is E# — same pitch as F natural, but spelled E# because every letter of the scale must appear exactly once. Beginners write F instead and end up with two F-named notes.
Drill it
The Interval Trainer gives you a root note and an interval, and asks you to name the result. Practising the intervals of the F# major scale is the fastest way to internalise it as a melodic shape rather than a memorised string of notes.
Open the Interval Trainer →Or drill key signaturesRelated
Frequently asked
- What are the notes in the F# major scale?
- F#, G#, A#, B, C#, D#, E#.
- How many sharps does F# major have?
- Six: F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, and E#.
- What is the relative minor of F# major?
- D# minor.