F Major CAGED Chord Shapes: All 5 Positions on Guitar
F major (F sharp major, written F# major, the same notes as G flat major) is F, A and C. The CAGED system gives five shapes for it up the neck: the E shape from the second fret, the D shape from the fourth fret, the C shape from the sixth fret, the A shape from the ninth fret and the G shape from the eleventh fret. None of them is an open chord, so each one is a barre or a partial shape.
Keys
CAGED Chords — F
Triads — F
Root position
First inversion
Second inversion
All inversions
The notes of F
F is a major triad: root, major third and fifth (1 3 5), which is a major third (four frets) with a minor third (three frets) on top. Every shape below is those three notes, doubled in different octaves.
It's the same pitch as G♭ major; this page uses F because it's spelled with fewer sharps or flats.
How the five shapes connect
From the bottom of the neck up, the shapes run E (second fret), D (fourth fret), C (sixth fret), A (ninth fret) and G (eleventh fret). Each one starts where the last one's top notes are, so playing them in order moves one chord up the whole fretboard. After the G shape, the E shape comes round again twelve frets higher.
The D shape and C shape share 3 notes (C on the G string at the sixth fret, F on the B string at the seventh fret and A on the high e string at the sixth fret), which is the hinge between them.
Where the root, F, sits in each shape: E shape: low E, D and high e; D shape: D and B; C shape: A and B; A shape: A and G; G shape: low E and G. Find that string first and the rest of the shape falls into place around it.
Where F appears
Written out, F uses three sharps (F, A and C), so it sits most naturally in sharp keys.
F belongs to 8 keys: IV in D♭ major (five flats, written G♭ major in that key), I in F major (six sharps) and V in B major (five sharps); III in E♭ minor (six flats, written G♭ major in that key), VII in G minor (five sharps) and VI in B♭ minor (five flats, written G♭ major in that key); VI in B♭ harmonic minor (five flats, written G♭ major in that key) and V in B harmonic minor (two sharps).
None of them is one of the open-string guitar keys (C, G, D, A and E major, and A, E and D minor), so F is more often met in piano-led songs, horn arrangements and with a capo.
Open strings and capo options for F
No open string is a note of F, so every voicing on this page is fully fretted and there's nothing to let ring.
To get an open-sounding voicing, use a capo: the E shape with the capo at the second fret, the D shape with the capo at the fourth fret and the C shape with the capo at the sixth fret.
Closely related chords
Its relative minor, Dm, shares two notes with F (F and A). Its parallel minor, Fm, shares two as well (F and C). The chords a fourth and a fifth away, B and C, are its neighbours in F major and share one note each: F with B, and C with C.
F♯ CAGED FAQs
What notes are in an F♯ chord?
F♯, A♯ and C♯: the root, major third and fifth (1 3 5).
What are the CAGED shapes for F♯ major?
The E shape from the second fret, the D shape from the fourth fret, the C shape from the sixth fret, the A shape from the ninth fret and the G shape from the eleventh fret. E shape is the lowest; the E shape repeats twelve frets higher.
Where is the easiest F♯ chord on guitar?
The E shape from the second fret is the lowest. Most players start with the E-shape or A-shape barre, then learn the others.
Related
Learn more
The CAGED system explained covers how the five shapes are built and linked. The CAGED guitar lessons set out what to learn next, and the CAGED library has every major and minor chord.