TABLE OF CONTENTS (Click to jump) |
Greetings, everyone! Rodrigo here again.
Today's article is a continuation of the previous one, and we're going to be exploring minor keys. You're going to realize that a lot of the text is copied from the major keys article and the reason is because the process to find scales, chords (triads and 7th-chords), and tensions is exactly the same. Of course, there's still some new topics that I haven't gone through before, like 'Relative and Parallel Keys', that I chose to add to this specific lesson. But I strongly recommend that you also read the major keys article as it approaches different things as well.
If you're new here, this is the 12th post in a 15-part series where I've broken down everything a musician needs to know, from basic intervals to major and minor keys. You can easily catch up on the previous posts by clicking their titles below. And to my regular readers, thanks so much for your continued support! As always, I'll keep adding new posts every month, and I'll be updating the store section soon with some cool new stuff. If you haven't already, bookmark this blog and drop a comment below with any topics you'd like me to cover in the future.
Thank you all!
Rodrigo
List of posts:
Simples Intervals -> Compound Intervals -> Triads -> Drop-2 Chords -> Drop-3 Chords -> Shell Chords & Extensions -> Triads & Extensions -> Chord Melody -> Guitar Arpeggios -> Guitar Scales -> Major Keys -> Minor Keys -> Harmonic Minor Keys -> Melodic Minor Keys
MINOR KEYS
The term 'minor key' refers to all possible chords derived from the minor scale.
What defines a minor scale is the distance between the 1st and 3rd degrees. If they're separated by 1 whole-tone and 1 semitone, it's a minor scale. If they're separated by 2 whole-tones, it's a major scale.
Differently from the major keys, the chords from the minor keys can come from three different scales: the natural minor scale, the harmonic minor scale, and the melodic minor scale. Each of these scales will form seven triads and seven 7th-chords that can be combined in the same song.
In this article, we'll be approaching the natural minor scale and for the following ones the harmonic minor and the melodic minor scale respectively.
NATURAL MINOR SCALE FORMULA
So, the natural minor scale formula is:
1st degree - wt - 2nd degree - st - 3rd degree - wt - 4th degree - wt - 5th degree - st - 6th degree - wt - 7th degree - wt - Octave.
st = 1 semitone
wt = 1 whole tone
Or we can transform it into number to make easier to visualize:
1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7
The flats (b) refer to the minor intervals in the scale: the b3 stands for minor third, the b6 stands for the minor sixth, and the b7 stands for the minor seventh. These intervals are always measured based on their distance to the root (represented by the number 1).
Student: Does it mean that, for a scale to be minor, it has to include all these minor intervals?
Rodrigo: No. As I said before, for a scale to be minor, the only requirement is to contain a minor third (b3). This sequence of intervals is exclusive for the natural minor scale, you'll see that for the harmonic and melodic minor scales these intervals will change, but the b3 will always remain the same.
Student: Got it! Thanks
To find the notes of a given minor scale, we'll have two different methods to follow:
The first one is to literally count the intervals between each degree. So, let's say we want to find the notes of the C natural minor scale. We know that C is our 1st degree, and we also know that between the 1st and the 2nd degree we have a whole tone. Then, by moving one whole tone above C will get to D. The interval between the 2nd and the 3rd degree is a semitone; by moving a semitone above D we'll get to Eb. And if you follow the whole formula you're going to get to C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, and Bb.
The second way is to find the minor scale based on the major one. If you compare the two formulas, you're going to notice that the only differences between the two of them are their 3rd, 6th, and 7th degree.
Major (1 2 3 4 5 6 7)
Natural Minor (1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7)
Then, if we already know that the C major scale contains C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. All we have to do to find the C natural minor scale is to flatten (b) the 3rd, 6th, and 7th degree, which will come out as C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, and Bb.
None of these methods are better than the other, obviously the second one is faster if you're already familiar with the given major key, but very often you're going to have to use the first way as well. So, get used to them.
Before we move on, make sure you understand how to find the notes for any natural minor scale. Try writing them down, then compare your results with the chart below. Just follow the scale formula starting from the key center.
CHART OF NATURAL MINOR SCALES |
P.S. If any of these terms are unclear, take a moment to revisit the posts I wrote on Intervals and the formation of Triads and 7th chords.
P.S. 2 - You might have noticed that I used flats (b) for some keys and sharps (#) for others. There's a reason for that and you'll learn how to use each one correctly when we get to the cycle of fourths and fifths.
Student: I’m following!
Rodrigo: Cool!
RELATIVE KEYS vs. PARALLEL KEYS
The term "relative keys" refer to the keys that share the exact same notes, key signature, and, as a consequence, the same chords too. For example, you might've noticed that the A natural minor scale shares the exact same notes of the C major scale. If you haven't, go check it right now.
C major scale: C, D, E, F, G, A, B.
A natural minor scale: A, B, C, D, E, F, G.
There will always be one major and one minor scale that'll share the same notes. Still using the example above, we can say the A minor is the relative minor of C major, and C major is the relative major of A minor. This term works when talking about scales or keys, but when we talk about scale we are simply talking about the single notes of a scale, and when we talk about key, we are referring to the chords formed by this scale.
The relative minor is always the 6th degree of the major scale. Then, the relative minor of C major is A minor, the relative minor of F major is D minor, the relative minor of Bb major is G minor, the relative minor of Eb major is C minor, and so on.
The relative major is always the 3rd degree of the natural minor scale. Then, the relative major of A minor is C major, the relative major of D minor is F major, the relative major of G minor is Bb major, the relative major of C minor is Eb major, and so on. It's the same process backwards, all depends on your point of view.
Simply put, the term 'parallel key' refers to the major scale and natural minor scale that shares the same root or key center. Then, we can say that C major and C minor are parallel keys, F major and F minor are parallel keys, Bb major and Bb minor are parallel keys, and so on.
CHORDS FROM THE NATURAL MINOR KEYS (TRIADS)
Triads are the simplest form of chords, made up of three notes: the root (1st degree), third, and fifth. We’ve covered this before, but here’s a quick refresher:
Major triads are formed by the root, a major 3rd, and a perfect 5th (e.g., C major = C, E, G).
The root is the note that defines the chord's origin (C).
The major 3rd is 2 whole tones above the root (E).
The perfect 5th is 3 whole tones and 1 semitone from the root (G).
Minor triads consist of the root, a minor 3rd, and a perfect 5th (e.g., C minor = C, Eb, G).
The minor 3rd is 1 whole tone and 1 semitone from the root (Eb).
The perfect 5th is 3 whole tones and 1 semitone from the root (G).
Diminished triads are made up of the root, a minor 3rd, and a diminished 5th (e.g., C diminished = C, Eb, Gb).
The diminished 5th is 3 whole tones from the root (Gb).
That’s all you need for now! Back to the C natural minor scale:
C - whole tone - D - semitone - Eb - whole tone- F - whole tone - G - semitone - Ab - whole tone - Bb - whole tone- C.
Each of these notes will form a type of triad, and there's a simple method to find the notes for each one. To build a triad, start with the root note, skip the next note to find the 3rd, then skip another note to find the 5th. For example, to find the notes for the 1st degree, start with C (root), skip D to reach Eb (b3rd), and skip F to reach G (5th). Once you’ve identified the notes, measure their distances from the root to determine the type of triad. Since Eb is 1 whole tone and 1 semitone from C, it forms a minor 3rd, and since G is 3 whole tones and 1 semitone from C, it forms a perfect 5th. Together, these form a minor triad, so the first chord in the C natural minor scale is C minor.
Let's apply the same process to the second degree of the scale. Now, consider D as the root of the new triad. Skip the next note (Eb) to find F (b3rd), then skip G to find Ab (b5th). Measure the distances: F is 1 whole tone and 1 semitone from D, making it a minor 3rd, and Ab is 3 whole tones from D, making it a diminished 5th. This forms a diminished triad, meaning that the second chord in the C natural minor scale is D diminished.
For the 3rd degree, it'll form Eb major. Eb (root), G (major third), Bb (perfect fifth):
For the 4th degree, it'll form F minor. F (root), Ab (minor third), C (perfect fifth):
For the 5th degree, it'll form G minor. G (root), Bb (minor third), D (perfect fifth):
For the 6th degree, it'll form Ab major. Ab (root), C (major third), Eb (perfect fifth):
For the 7th degree, it'll form Bb major. Bb (root), D (major third), F (perfect fifth):
And by following this process for all seven degrees, we found the following triads:
Cm - Ddim - Eb - Fm - Gm - Ab - Bb
When referring to chords, we'll use the Roman Numerals system to simplify it, so we can make it into a formula. The triads in a natural minor key are represented as:
Im - IIdim - bIII - IVm - Vm - bVI - bVII
The good news is that this formula is universal and works for all keys. In any minor key, the first chord will always be minor, the second diminished, the third major, the fourth minor, the fifth minor, the sixth major, and the seventh major. It’s important to memorize this formula, just as you did with the natural minor scale.
Since we’ve already identified the notes for all 12 natural minor scales, we can now apply this chord formula to find all the chords generated by each one. You’ll end up with the following results:
CHART OF MINOR KEYS (TRIADS) |
CHORDS FROM THE NATURAL MINOR KEYS (7TH-CHORDS)
Seventh chords are like the triads we've been working on, but with an extra note added—the 7th—by skipping one more note after the 5th. But first, here's a quick review of the most important seventh chords you should know:
Major triad with a major 7th becomes a maj7 chord (e.g., Cmaj7= C, E, G, B).
The major seventh is 5 whole tones and 1 semitone from the root (B).
Major triad with a minor 7th becomes a dominant 7 chord (e.g., C7= C, E, G, Bb).
The minor seventh is 5 whole tones from the root (Bb).
Minor triad with a minor 7th becomes a min7 chord (e.g., Cm7 = C, Eb, G, Bb).
Diminished triad with a minor 7th becomes a min7(b5) chord (e.g., Cm7(b5) = C, Eb, Gb, Bb).
Since the process is just like what we did with triads, we'll move a bit quicker. We already have the triads, so all that's left is to find the 7th by skipping one more note after the 5th. Once you find it, measure the distance from the 7th to the root.
For the 1st degree, it'll form Cm7. C (root), Eb (minor third), G (perfect fifth), Bb (minor 7th):
For the 2nd degree, it'll form Dm7(b5). D (root), F (minor third), Ab (diminished fifth), C (minor 7th):
For the 3rd degree, it'll form Ebmaj7. E (root), G (major third), Bb (perfect fifth), D (major 7th):
For the 4th degree, it'll form Fm7. F (root), Ab (minor third), C (perfect fifth), Eb (minor 7th):
For the 5th degree, it'll form Gm7. G (root), Bb (minor third), D (perfect fifth), F (minor 7th):
For the 6th degree, it'll form Abmaj7. Ab (root), C (major third), Eb (perfect fifth), G (major 7th):
For the 7th degree, it'll form Bb7. Bb (root), D (major third), F (perfect fifth), Ab (minor 7th):
And by following this process for all seven degrees, we found the following 7th-chords:
Cm7 - Dm7(b5) - Ebmaj7 - Fm7 - Gm7 - Abmaj7 - Bb7
Which, in the Roman Numerals, will be:
Im7 - IIm7(b5) - bIIImaj7 - IVm7 - Vm7 - bVImaj7 - bVII7
And the same order of 7th-chords we'll be applied to all the other keys as you can check in the following chart. So far, you have to memorize three things: the natural minor scale formula, the triads formula, and the 7th-chords formula.
CHART OF MINOR KEYS (7TH-CHORDS) |
Student: Okay, I have these seven single notes, seven triads, and seven 7th-chords. What should I do with them?
Rodrigo: These notes and chords are the building blocks for composing a song using the C natural minor scale. You’ll use the single notes—C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, and Bb—to create your melody, and the triads and 7th-chords derived from these notes to make the chord progressions for your song. Of course, this is an example using the C natural minor key, you still have 11 more keys to explore.
Student: So, are these the only chords I can use? Just these seven triads and seven 7th-chords?
Rodrigo: Not exactly, but these are the essential chords that define the key. They're known as diatonic chords because they're all derived from the original scale. While you can add non-diatonic chords to have more options, you’ll need to return to the diatonic chords to maintain the sense of the key. Otherwise, the song might lose its tonal center and not make sense.
Further in this conversation, you'll learn about other categories of chords like secondary dominants, substitute V7 chords, IIm7-related chords, and modal interchange. These chords offer more options for your compositions but are commonly used to lead back to the diatonic chords.
Also, I mentioned in the beginning that we can mix all chords from the natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scale, which already adds up to 21 triads and 21 7th-chords.
Student: Got it! So, what are the melodic and the harmonic minor scale formulas?
Rodrigo: Hold on, there’s one more thing. You can also add tensions—like 9ths, 11ths, and 13ths—to these chords to enrich your harmony!
CHORD EXTENSIONS (TENSIONS)
Since we used four notes of the scales to form the core of our 7th-chords, we can now add the remaining three notes from the scale to embellish the sound of each chord even more. These 'extra notes' will be referred to as tensions or extensions.
Student: So, can I use all seven notes to play any of these chords? What would be the difference if they all contain the same notes?
Rodrigo: That's actually an excellent question! First of all, as a guitarist, playing all seven notes simultaneously would be quite challenging, though there are exceptions. Secondly, once you've established the basic triad or 7th-chord, you don't need to include every tension at once—you can experiment with different combinations or even use just one. It all depends on what sounds good to your personal taste.
Moreover, as a rule of thumb, the notes that form the core of the chord are usually played in the lower register, while tensions are typically added in the higher register. This distinction between the lower and upper structure helps differentiate chords not just by the order of the notes but also by the unique sound they produce when tensions are added.
If you need to see examples of how to add tensions to chords, check my posts on Triads & Extensions or Shell Chords & Extensions.
Student: I'll check it out right now!
Just a quick review on tensions:
If the tension is 1 semitone above the root, we'll call it a minor 9th (b9)
If the tension is 1 whole tone above the root, we'll call it a major 9th (9)
If the tension is 1 whole tone and 1 semitone above the root, we'll call it an augmented 9th (#9)
If the tension is 2 whole tones and 1 semitone above the root, we'll call it a perfect 11th (11)
If the tension is 3 whole tones above the root, we'll call it an augmented 11th (#11)
If the tension is 4 whole tones above the root, we'll call it a minor 13th (b13)
If the tension is 4 whole tones and 1 semitone above the root, we'll call it a major 13th (13)
If you've already read the articles I mentioned earlier, you're familiar with the concept of avoided notes. But in case in haven't, here's another quick refresher:
Even though we'll find a different type of 9th, 11th, and 13th, to each chord of the key, it doesn't mean that all of them can be added to the chord since they might alter the chord's quality or function. As a rule of thumb, any tensions that's located 1 semitone above any chord-tone (notes that form the chord) is considered to be avoided. Which means that we can't let that note ring out simultaneously with the chord.
We consider the perfect 11th an avoided note for major, dominant, and augmented chords (C, C(#5), C(b5) Cmaj7, C7, Cmaj7(b5), Cmaj7(#5), C7(b5), C7(#5)) because it creates a dissonance with the major 3rd that can alter the character of the chord.
We consider the minor 13th an avoided note for major and minor chords (Cm, Cm7, Cm(maj7), and the major chords cited above) because it creates a dissonance with the perfect 5th that can alter the character of the chord.
We consider the minor 9th an avoided note for major, minor, diminished, and augmented chords too, because it creates a dissonance with the root that can alter the character of the chord.
The only exception to the two last rules above is the dominant chords (e.g., C7, C7(b5), C7(#5)), because its function is to create tension to then be resolved in a tonic-function chord. Then, minor 9th as well as the minor 13ths are welcome, but the perfect 11th remains avoided.
With that in mind, I'll apply the same approach to all seven degrees of the scale and give you the results directly. All you need to do is calculate the interval between each (ext.) tension and the root note.
For the 1st degree, the tensions are the major 9th, perfect 11th, and minor 13th. However, since the minor 13th is an avoided note in minor chords, we can only add the major 9th and perfect 11th. The possible chords for the 1st degree include Cm, Cm7, Cm(9), Cm7(9), Cm(11), Cm7(11), Cm(9,11), and Cm7(9,11). I've used both triads and 7th chords in these examples.
For the 2nd degree, the tensions are the minor 9th, perfect 11th, and minor 13th. Since the minor 9th is an avoided note for diminished chords, the possible chords for the 2nd degree include Ddim, Dm7(b5), Ddim(11), Dm7(b5)add11, Ddim(b13), Dm7(b5)addb13, Ddim(11,b13), and Dm7(b5)add11,b13.
For the 3rd degree, the tensions are the major 9th, perfect 11th, and major 13th. However, since the perfect 11th is an avoided note for major chords, we can only add the major 9th and the major 13th.Then, the possible chords for the 3rd degree include Eb, Ebmaj7, Eb(9), Ebmaj7(9), Eb(13), Ebmaj7(13), Eb(9,13), and Ebmaj7(9,13).
For the 4th degree, the tensions are the major 9th, perfect 11th, and major 13th. Then, the possible chords for the 4th degree include Fm, Fm7, Fm(9), Fm7(9), Fm(11), Fm7(11), Fm(13), Fm7(13), Fm(9,11), Fm7(9,11), Fm(9,13), Fm7(9,13), Fm(11,13), Fm7(11,13), Fm(9,11,13), and Fm7(9,11,13). All the tensions are available, no avoided notes.
For the 5th degree, the tensions are the minor 9th, perfect 11th, and minor 13th. However, since the minor 9th and the minor 13th are avoided notes in minor chords, we can only add the perfect 11th. The possible chords for the 5th degree include, Gm, Gm7, Gm(11), and Gm7(11).
For the 6th degree, the tensions are the major 9th, augmented 11th, and major 13th. Then, the possible chords for the 6th degree include Ab, Abmaj7, Ab(9), Abmaj7(9), Ab(#11), Abmaj7(#11), Ab(13), Abmaj7(13), Ab(9,#11), Abmaj7(9,#11), Ab(9,13), Abmaj7(9,13), Ab(#11,13), Abmaj7(#11,13), Ab(9,#11,13), and Abmaj7(9,#11,13). All the tensions are available, no avoided notes.
For the 7th degree, the tensions are the major 9th, perfect 11th, and major 13th. However, since the perfect 11th is an avoided note in dominant chords, you can only add the major 9th and major 13th. The possible chords for the 7th degree include, Bb, Bb7, Bb(9), Bb7(9), Bb(13), Bb7(13), Bb(9,13), and Bb7(9,13).
Student: I have a question about improvisation, which is also related to the previous post about scales.
Rodrigo: Sure! Go ahead.
Student: You mentioned several scales and modes that can be used for improvisation over different chords. For example, I remember reading that for any maj7 chord, I could use the Ionian mode, Lydian mode, or Lydian #2. Each of these modes adds different tensions to the maj7 chord, so I’m wondering—depending on the context, is there a 'better' scale or mode to use?
Rodrigo: The reason all these modes work is that, in modern improvisation— and by 'modern' I mean since the era of Charlie Parker—we approach each chord individually, rather than viewing it as part of a specific key. You could call it 'modal improvisation,' but the main idea is that if the scale or mode contains the chord tones of the given chord, it will work!
THE CYCLE OF FOURTHS & FIFTHS
I'm writing this section because a lot of students ask me about the cycle of fourths and fifths and what they're used for. So, here’s a quick and straightforward answer: the cycles of fourths and fifths are essentially ways to organize the different major and minor keys based on the number of accidentals (flats (b) and sharps (#)) they contain.
If you compare the image below, which shows the cycle of fourths, to the chart of natural minor scales, you'll see that the A natural minor scale has no flats, D minor has 1 flat, Gm minor has 2 flats, C minor has 3 flats, and so on—just follow the direction of the arrows.
Student: And why is it called the cycle of fourths?
Rodrigo: It’s called that because the interval between the root of each key is a perfect fourth. From A to D is a perfect 4th, from D to G is a perfect 4th, from G to C is a perfect 4th, and so on. The term "cycle" comes from the fact that if you keep following this sequence of fourths, you eventually circle back to A.
Student: What about its application?
Rodrigo: Honestly, there isn’t much.
Student: No application? What do you mean?
Rodrigo: Exactly that. You can use it to memorize how many accidentals are in each key, and it might help with remembering the chords too. But in terms of actually applying it to a song, there’s not much to it.
Student: Why didn’t you list the number of flats for the keys after Eb minor in the image?
Rodrigo: Good question! There’s a reason for that. Technically, I could write all the keys, scales, and chords using only flats. But after Eb, we’d have so many flats—and eventually double flats (like Dbb, Ebb, etc.)—that it’s easier to switch to sharps (#) instead.
Student: Oh! So that’s when we use the cycle of fifths?
Rodrigo: Exactly! The cycle of fifths is just like the cycle of fourths, but in reverse. From A to E is a perfect 5th, from E to B is a perfect 5th, from B to F# is a perfect 5th, and so on. This happens because perfect 4ths and perfect 5ths are complementary intervals. If you've been following along from the start, you probably already know this.
Student: Oh, wait! Earlier, I noticed the charts were in a strange order—is that because of the cycles?
Rodrigo: That’s right! All the charts are organized according to the cycle of fourths. But after Eb, I started using sharps instead of flats for the reasons I just explained.
To sum it all up: when writing in the keys of Dm, Gm, Cm, Fm, Bbm, and Ebm, we use flats (b). When writing in the keys of Em, Bm, F#m, C#m, and G#m, we use sharps (#).
Student: Now it all makes sense!
KEY SIGNATURES
The term 'key signature' refers to the collection of accidentals (flats and sharps) indicated at the beginning of a piece of music, placed between the clef and the time signature on a lead sheet. As we discussed earlier, each key is defined by a specific number of accidentals, which can be either flats (♭) or sharps (♯). By matching the accidentals in the key signature with those in each major and minor scale, we can easily identify the key of a piece.
Here’s a quick reference:
No flats or sharps: C major or A minor
1 flat: F major or D minor
2 flats: B♭ major or G minor
3 flats: E♭ major or C minor
4 flats: A♭ major or F minor
5 flats: D♭ major or B♭minor
6 flats: G♭ major or E♭minor
1 sharp: G major or E minor
2 sharps: D major or B minor
3 sharps: A major or F# minor
4 sharps: E major or C# minor
5 sharps: B major or G# minor
HOW TO PRACTICE MINOR KEYS?
The whole point of talking about major and minor keys is to pull together everything you've learned from the previous posts. If this is your first time here, you can still use what you learned in this post to start writing songs, building chord progressions, creating melodies, and even making your own solos. But I highly recommend checking out the earlier posts too—they're packed with different ways to play the chords and scales I mentioned here, and they'll help you get comfortable playing all over the fretboard.
We’re not done with this topic yet! In the next few posts, we’ll cover the harmonic and the melodic minor scales, Greek modes, harmonic functions, harmonic rhythm, and some of the most common chord progressions. So, stick around, bookmark this blog, and I’ll catch you later!
All my best,
Rodrigo Moreira
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