Learn › F Minor Triad Inversions on Guitar: 12 Shapes
New Released in April 2026
F Minor Triad Inversions on Guitar: 12 Shapes
Fm triad inversions on guitar: the three notes F, Ab and C on three neighbouring strings, in three positions on each of four string sets. Twelve small shapes that cover the whole neck.
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- MIDI keyboard
- Digital or acoustic piano
- Guitar
- Computer, phone or tablet
What an inversion changes
An inversion just reorders F, Ab and C. Bottom note F: root position. Bottom note Ab: 1st inversion. Bottom note C: 2nd inversion.
Darker than major: the middle note of the major shape moves down one fret.
Fm on each string set
Each row uses three neighbouring strings and climbs the neck from the lowest shape to the highest. Mute or skip the other strings.
G-B-e strings
1st inversion
2nd inversion
Root position
D-G-B strings
Root position
1st inversion
2nd inversion
A-D-G strings
2nd inversion
Root position
1st inversion
E-A-D strings
1st inversion
2nd inversion
Root position
From one shape to the next
Walk up the G-B-e strings through 1st inversion (fret 1) → 2nd inversion (fret 6) → root position (fret 10), then back down. The top notes F, Ab, C change while the chord stays Fm.
Around fret 8, without moving the hand: G-B-e strings 5-6-4; D-G-B strings 6-5-6; A-D-G strings 8-6-5; E-A-D strings 8-8-6.
Fm inversions: the frets
| String set | Root position | 1st inversion | 2nd inversion |
|---|---|---|---|
| G-B-e strings | x x x 10 9 8 | x x x 1 1 1 | x x x 5 6 4 |
| D-G-B strings | x x 3 1 1 x | x x 6 5 6 x | x x 10 10 9 x |
| A-D-G strings | x 8 6 5 x x | x 11 10 10 x x | x 3 3 1 x x |
| E-A-D strings | 13 11 10 x x x | 4 3 3 x x x | 8 8 6 x x x |
Frets from the low E string to the high E string; x = string not played.
Practise Fm triads in four steps
- Learn the three shapes on the top strings first, slowly, saying the bottom note each time.
- Connect the shapes up and down the G-B-e strings, four strums per shape.
- Stay near fret 8 and find Fm on two different string sets.
- Then test yourself: random chord names, find the closest Fm shape each time.
A few minutes a day on one string set is enough; add the next set next week.
Train chord changes on your guitar
In ChordRunner chord names come one after another and the microphone checks every chord you play, open shape, barre or triad. It runs in the browser.
Play the demoCommon questions
What are the inversions of Fm on guitar?
Root position (F at the bottom), 1st inversion (Ab at the bottom) and 2nd inversion (C at the bottom). On the top three strings: 1st inversion 1-1-1; 2nd inversion 5-6-4; Root position 10-9-8.
Which Fm triad shape is the easiest?
Usually the lowest one on the top strings, 1-1-1, because it sits near the nut.
What does a Fm triad sound like?
Darker than major: the middle note of the major shape moves down one fret.
Can I practise Fm with a game that listens to my guitar?
Yes. ChordRunner hears your guitar through the microphone and checks the chord in any shape or inversion. A USB MIDI keyboard works too.
Your instrument is the controller.
ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.
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