This lesson will delve into the often misunderstood, and even mysterious subject of relative minor. The funniest thing is that relative minor is quite an easy concept to grasp if it is taught effectively, which is what I will endeavor to do here.

0. Contents
1. Relative minor explained
2. Relative minor reference chart
3. Summary
4. Related lessons & resources

Relative Minor Explained

Relative minor is the chord or key, based upon the sixth degree of any major scale, conversley, the relative major is the chord or key based upon the third degree of any minor scale. Another (and easier) way to find the relative minor of a major key is to move down three semitones (or a minor third) from the major keys tonic. For instance: if we are in the key of G major and we wish to find the relative minor of that key, we simply move down three semitones or a minor third from the tonic, G > F > F > E and play either an Emi chord or play in the key of E minor. Let's take another example and find the relative minor of C major, we move down three semitones or a minor third, C > B > B > A and play either an A minor chord or play in the key of A minor.

Take a look at the chord progression below, it is a simple I-VI-IV-V progression in the key of C major. The second chord change is to an A minor chord which is, as we discovered before, the relative minor of C major. Now play the chord progression or listen to the sound sample below the chart, can you hear the simplicity of the change? It is after all the most common chord change, you can hear it everywhere in Beatles songs, the Rolling Stones and many other songsmiths. Relative minor is not only an important tool to use when writing songs, it is also where we get our entire class of minor chords and scales from, which would have been figured out hundreds of years ago and slowly progressed to what we have today. Now take a look at the relative minor reference chart further below.

To download audio sample(s) for later listening, right click on the MP3 link, then from the context menu that appears select Save Target As (Internet Explorer) or Save Link As (Firefox).

Audio Sample Name	Flash	MP3
I-VI-IV-V Chord Progression In The Key Of C Major		relative-minor-example-chord-progression.mp3

Relative Minor Chart

Below is a relative minor reference chart which shows the most common keys, you should print it out if you can as this is an important chart particularly for those of you who are songwriters.

Relative Minor Reference Chart
Major Key/Chord	Relative Minor
C Major	A Minor
C Major	A Minor
D Major	B Minor
E Major	C Minor
E Major	C Minor
F Major	D Minor
F Major	D Minor
G Major	E Minor
A Major	F Minor
A Major	F Minor
B Major	G Minor
B Major	G Minor

Summary

Well I hope I have enlightened you about relative minor, if you are still unsure then go through the lesson again and listen to the audio samples, it will eventually make sense.

Cheers & enjoy!

Related Lessons & Resources

• Guitar Lessons
• • Open chords part 1
  • The open C major scale
  • Dexterity exercises

• Tools
• • Key signature chart

External Resources

• Relative key at Wikipedia.org