Looking up the key and tempo of A Good Black Leader? Ian Edwards's track sits in F# Minor at 99 BPM (Camelot 11A). Whether you're learning it on guitar, setting up a cover in the right key, or mixing it into a DJ set, here are the scale notes, chords, and compatible keys.
Scale & Notes of F# Minor
The F# Minor scale is built from these seven notes:
F#G#ABC#DE
Its relative key is A Major (same notes), and its parallel key is F# Major. If you're transposing or looking for a vocal-comfortable key, those are the natural neighbours.
Chords in F# Minor
The seven diatonic triads in this key — the chord palette most of the song will draw from:
| Degree | Chord | Quality |
|---|
| i | F#m | Minor |
| ii° | G#dim | Diminished |
| III | A | Major |
| iv | Bm | Minor |
| v | C#m | Minor |
| VI | D | Major |
| VII | E | Major |
Indian Classical: the Bhairavi thaat
In Hindustani classical terms, F# Minor maps to the Bhairavi thaat (Western mode: Phrygian (all-komal / flat everything)). Closest to the Phrygian mode — most notes are flat (komal). The most versatile and 'universal' raga of Hindustani music, sung at the end of concerts. Evokes deep pathos. Traditional listening time: Early morning / concert finale.
If you want to sing or practise in this key, set your tonic (Sa) to F#. Ragas built on this thaat:
- Bhairavi — Phrygian — ♭2 ♭3 ♭6 ♭7, all natural notes allowed in ascent. Pathos, farewell, longing.
- Malkauns — Minor pentatonic ♭2 (Sa ga ma dha ni) — very dark, nocturnal. Dark, mystical, powerful (Late night).
- Chandrakauns — Pentatonic minor ♭2 variant of Malkauns. Meditative, moonlit (Night).
- Sindhura — Bhairavi with raised 4th (♭2 ♭3 ♯4 ♭6 ♭7). Romantic, graceful.
Set Tanpura to F# →Practise in this key →Find another song's key →
Harmonic mixing (for DJs)
A Good Black Leader sits at Camelot 11A. For a smooth harmonic transition, mix it with tracks in 10A, 11B, 12A — adjacent keys on the Camelot wheel that share most of their notes.