The natural minor scale formula
Starting on A, this formula lands only on white keys:
Compared with the major scale, the natural minor has lowered 3rd, 6th and 7th (♭3, ♭6, ♭7). The ♭3 is the most important: it's what makes the tonic chord minor.
Relative key: C major and A minor are “siblings”
C major and A minor use exactly the same notes, just starting in different places. That's why they're called relative and have the same key signature.
- To find the relative minor of a major key: go down a step and a half (3 half steps) up from the tonic, or take the VI degree.
- To find the relative major of a minor key: go up a step and a half.
| Major key | Relative minor | Key signature |
|---|---|---|
| C | Am | no accidentals |
| G | Em | 1 ♯ |
| D | Bm | 2 ♯ |
| A | F♯m | 3 ♯ |
| E | C♯m | 4 ♯ |
| F | Dm | 1 ♭ |
| B♭ | Gm | 2 ♭ |
| E♭ | Cm | 3 ♭ |
Parallel key: C major and C minor
Parallel keys share the same tonic but have different scales: C major (C D E F G A B) and C minor (C D E♭ F G A♭ B♭). Many songs “borrow” chords from the parallel key, like the Fm in C major: C – F – Fm – C.
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Open the free app →Harmonic minor scale
In natural minor, the 5th degree gives a minor chord (Em in A minor), which doesn't pull back to the tonic very strongly. The solution was raise the 7th half step:
Now the V chord becomes E7 (E G♯ B D), which pulls strongly toward Am. The step and a half jump between F and G♯ gives this scale its typical “Arabic” or “gypsy” flavor.
Melodic minor scale
To smooth out that leap, the minor melodic also raises the 6th: A B C D E F♯ G♯ A. In classical music it goes up like this and comes down like the natural minor; in jazz it's used the same both ways.
Minor key diatonic chords
| Degree | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural minor (A) | Am | B° | C | Dm | Em | F | G |
| With a seventh | Am7 | Bm7(♭5) | C7M | Dm7 | Em7 | F7M | G7 |
| Common use (V of harmonic minor) | Am | B° | C | Dm | E / E7 | F | G |
In practice, songs in minor keys mix things up: they use the natural chords and swap the V for E7 when it's time to go back to the tonic. Classic example: Am – Dm – E7 – Am.
The minor II–V–I progression becomes Bm7(♭5) – E7 – Am, where the half-diminished shows up, explained in seventh chords.
Bonus: the minor pentatonic
Taking the 2nd and the ♭6 out of the natural minor leaves five notes: A C D E G. É a minor pentatonic, the scale most used in rock and blues solos, because it almost never sounds “wrong”.
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Practice theory in the free appFrequently asked questions
What is the natural minor scale formula?
Whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole, whole (W H W W H W W).
What is the relative minor of C major?
A minor. Both scales use the same notes.
How do you find the relative minor of any key?
Go down a step and a half (three half steps) from the major tonic, or take the 6th degree of the scale. G major → E minor.
What's the difference between natural and harmonic minor?
The harmonic minor raises the 7th by a half step (G♯ in A minor). That turns the V chord into a major chord with a seventh (E7), which resolves more strongly to the tonic.