Minor Changes

the term 'relative minor' is a useful one. basically, when you have, for example, the C major scale...

C D E F G A B C

and the A minor scale...

A B C D E F G A

notice how these scales share the same notes. that is basically what is meant by "relative". relative scales share the same notes.

if you remember from my earlier post on diatonic theory, and the chords constructed from the major scale, you will remember seeing...

here are the possible chords built on all the notes of the C major scale...

C E G B = Cmaj7 = I
D F A C = Dmin7 = ii
E G B D = Emin7 = iii
F A C E = Fmaj7 = IV
G B D F = G7 = V
A C E G = Amin7 = vi
B D F A = Bmin7(b5) = vii

when we now go to minor, we just shift over to using A as the one chord. also, a reminder that we use uppercase roman numerals when referring to major chords, and lowercase roman numerals for minor chords. when we build all the possible chords on the notes from the A minor scale, this is what it looks like...

A C E G = Amin7 = i
B D F A = Bmin7(b5) = ii
C E G B = Cmaj7 = III
D F A C = Dmin7 = iv
E G B D = Emin7 = v
F A C E = Fmaj7 = VI
G B D F = G7 = VII

also in my earlier post on diatonic theory, we talked about what a ii V I progression is, and how to find, and construct them. now, we are going to look at, and analyze a chord progression. this is the progression...

Dmin7 G7 Cmaj7 Bmin7(b5) E7 Amin7