Minor scales and key signatures are essential in music theory. They provide contrast and emotional depth to compositions. Understanding relative and parallel minor keys helps you navigate between major and minor tonalities effortlessly.

Relative minors share key signatures with their major counterparts, starting on the sixth scale degree. Parallel minors, however, keep the same tonic but alter the key signature. Both types offer unique ways to shift the mood and color of a piece.

Relative Minor Keys

Determining the Relative Minor Key

• A relative minor key shares the same key signature as its relative major key but begins on the sixth scale degree of the major key
• To find the relative minor, count down a minor third (three half steps) from the tonic of the major key
  • The relative minor of C major is A minor, as A is a minor third below C
  • Other examples include:
    • E minor is the relative minor of G major
    • D minor is the relative minor of F major
• The relative minor key is the vi chord in the major key
  • In the key of C major, the vi chord is A minor
  • This relationship holds true for all major keys and their relative minors

Relationship Between Major and Relative Minor Keys

• A major key and its relative minor key share the same key signature, meaning they have the same number of sharps or flats
• The key signatures are identical because the pitches in the scale are the same, but the tonic note is different
  • C major and A minor both have no sharps or flats in their key signature
  • G major and E minor both have one sharp (F#) in their key signature
• The relative minor begins on the sixth scale degree of the major scale, so its key signature remains the same as the major key
  • In the key of D major (two sharps: F# and C#), the sixth scale degree is B, making B minor the relative minor

Parallel Minor Keys

Identifying the Parallel Minor Key

• A parallel minor key shares the same tonic as its parallel major key but has a different key signature
• To find the parallel minor from a major key, lower the third, sixth, and seventh scale degrees of the major scale by a half step each
  • The parallel minor of C major is C minor, which contains E♭, A♭, and B♭ instead of E♮, A♮, and B♮
  • Other examples include:
    • G minor is the parallel minor of G major (B♭, E♭, and A♭ instead of B♮, E♮, and A♮)
    • F minor is the parallel minor of F major (A♭, D♭, and E♭ instead of A♮, D♮, and E♮)
• The key signature of a parallel minor will have three more flats (or three fewer sharps) than its parallel major
  • If a major key has two sharps, its parallel minor will have one flat
  • If a major key has one flat, its parallel minor will have four flats

Tonic Notes and Key Signatures of Parallel Keys

• Parallel keys share the same tonic note but have different key signatures
• The key signature of a parallel minor will have three more flats (or three fewer sharps) than its parallel major
  • C major has no sharps or flats, while C minor has three flats (B♭, E♭, and A♭)
  • A major has three sharps (F#, C#, G#), while A minor has no sharps or flats
• In a minor key, the third, sixth, and seventh scale degrees are lowered by a half step compared to its parallel major
  • This creates the characteristic sound and mood of the minor key
  • The lowered third, sixth, and seventh scale degrees form the intervals of a minor third, minor sixth, and minor seventh from the tonic
• The tonic note remains the same in parallel keys, but the overall tonality and mood of the key changes due to the altered intervals in the minor scale
  • C major and C minor have the same tonic note (C) but different key signatures and scale degrees
  • The lowered third, sixth, and seventh scale degrees in C minor create a darker, more somber sound compared to the brighter, more cheerful sound of C major