F major
F major is a key of the major family of notes, built on the root F. The key of F major is written in musical notation with a ♭ (b). The corresponding scale and the fundamental chord of this key (the tonic f-a-c), are also designated with the term F major.
Traditionally, F major has been considered the "pastoral key" because many woodwind instruments have always had an F as their keynote as well as being associated with shepherds.
F major is often described as somewhat less bright and clear than C major, but see the entry Key Character.
Key classification
| Keys and their accidentals | |||||||||||||||
| Portent: | 7 ♭ | 6 ♭ | 5 ♭ | 4 ♭ | 3 ♭ | 2 ♭ | 1 ♭ | 0 ♭/♯ | 1 ♯ | 2 ♯ | 3 ♯ | 4 ♯ | 5 ♯ | 6 ♯ | 7 ♯ |
| Major keys: | Ces | Ges | Des | As | It | B | F | C | G | D | A | E | H | F# | C sharp |
| Minor keys: | as | it | b | f | c | g | d | a | e | h | F# | cis | gis | dis | ais |
Questions and Answers
Q: What is F major?
A: F major (or the key of F) is a musical major scale starting on F. Its key signature has one flat.
Q: What is the relative minor of F major?
A: The relative minor of F major is D minor.
Q: What is the parallel minor of F major?
A: The parallel minor of F major is F minor.
Q: What instruments are in the key of F Major?
A: Instruments that are in the key of F Major include the English horn, basset horn, horn in F, trumpet inF and bass Wagner tuba.
Q: How do these instruments sound when written in C Major?
A: Most of these instruments sound a perfect fifth lower than written when written in C Major, except for the trumpet inF which sounds a perfect fourth higher. The basset horn also often sounds an octave and a fifth lower.
Q: Why did Veracini write his Overtures for Prince Friedrich Augustus mostly in either B-flat or F Major?
A: Veracini wrote his Overtures for Prince Friedrich Augustus mostly in either B-flat or F Major because the prince's orchestra had many wind instruments that played best in those keys.
