Lesson Nine - An Introduction To Minor Keys

Introducing minor keys
In the last couple of lessons we had a look at the Major keys and the basic chords of those keys. Before we go on to more complex chords and chord progressions we really must have a look at the minor keys. Much of the music theory pertaining to the Major scales is also relevant in the minor keys. The scales are built upon intervals, the chords are of similar structure and they all have key signatures. The main difference lies in the intervals, which are slightly different to those of the Major keys - but more of this in a moment.

The Three Most Common minor Keys
There are three common types of minor scales: natural minor, melodic minor, and harmonic minor. Note that Jazz also uses a minor scale called "dorian minor", but we will not discuss that here, after all Jazz is a music theory all on its own! I will also concentrate mainly on the natural minor scales for the purpose of this lesson, but I will give a brief explanation of both the melodic and harmonic.

What's Different About the minor Keys?
The big difference between the minor and Major keys is the sound! Music in minor keys has a different sound and emotional feel, often said to be sad or solemn. We shall hear some examples of this in a moment, but first lets look at the theoretical differences. Below is a range of notes from A through middle C to C5. Notice that the darker notes form the C major scale, wich should by now be very familiar. When we play the notes from C to C We are, as you know, playing the C Major scale which has a step pattern of whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step. Now suppose we play the notes from A to A? We now have a different patterm of steps which is: whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step.

Creating Minor Scales
This step pattern is the basis of all the natural minor scales and so the scale or key from A to A is known as the Am (A Minor) key. Since there are no sharps or flats in this scale it is known as the relative minor key to C Maj. In the same way any key which is built on the same step pattern will be known as the relative minor key to the Major key which has the same number of sharps or flats. Here is a list of the most useful Major/minor key relationships:

• C Maj - Am (No sharps or flats)
• G Maj - Em One sharp
• D Maj - Bm Two sharps
• A Maj - F#m (F sharp minor)Three sharps
• E Maj - C#m (C sharp minor)Four sharps
• F Maj - Dm One Flat
• Bb Maj - Gm Two Flats
• Eb Maj - Cm Three Flats
• Ab Maj - Fm Four flats

Listen now to the change in mood and emotion of the C minor key

I have placed the appropriate flats in front of the notes which they affect in order that you may grasp the idea of the step pattern. Normally these notes would not be shown as accidentals (remember what they are?) but would be placed on the staff to form a key signature. But hold on! how do we know whether the key signature refers to the Major or minor key? The answer is - we don't! (at least not as the music is written here). We will only know that when we listen to the music and hear the mood.

Minor Chords
The main clues regarding whether the music is major or minor come when we put the chords in. We will then be able to study the piece and be confident about whether we have a major or minor piece to play or sing. With experience we will be able to tell wether music is major or minor by studying or listening to the melody, but for now we will have to study the chords. Of course we can't study the chords if we don't know what the minor chords are - so let's start now and see how minor chords are formed.

Basic minor chords are formed in the same way that Major chords are formed - i.e. they are formed from the root, third and fifth of the scale or key after which they are named. So, for example, the Am chord is A, C, and E. Just as with the Major chords these can be one of three inversions - natural, 1st inversion and 2nd inversion. These chords can be worked out, but if you are going to take your music seriously you are better to memorise thier make-up. Shown below are some examples of the minor chords. and alongside I have shown the relative Major chords to give you some familiarity with them.

Notice how the Major and minor chords share the same key signature. You may also have noticed that a simple way to form a minor chord is to simply play the Major chord and flatten the 3rd interval. So in the key of C we can play the notes CEG to form our major chord and the play CEbG to form the minor chord. Beware - this is the chord of Cm and is NOT the relative chord to C Major. If you can't remember what the relative chord to C Major is then have another read at this lesson.

More lessons to follow soon...