A Minor
Chords in the key of
The scale’s notes are numbered from 1 to 7. Roman numerals are used to label the basic triad (1-3-5) chords built on each of those notes.
The notes of the A minor scale are:
A – B – C – D – E – F – G
| i | ii° | III | iv | v | VI | VII |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Am | Bdim | C | Dm | Em | F | G |
| A minor | B diminished | C major | D minor | E minor | F major | G major |
| A - C - E | B - D - F | C - E - G | D - F - A | E - G - B | F - A - C | G - B - D |
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That’s the diatonic set. If you stay strictly inside the key, these are your friends. The pattern of naming chords for every minor key is:
Minor, Diminished, Major, Minor, Minor, Major, Major. Numerals in UPPERCASE (III, VI, VII) denote major chords, and numerals in lowercase (i, ii°, iv, v) denote minor chords.
A Minor: Extended Chords
A HARMONIC Minor : RESOLVING + cinematic
A natural/diatonic minor often borrows the 7th note from A harmonic minor; it’s just one semitone higher but creates and resolves tension far better than its diatonic counterpart.
This raises A minor’s G to G#, which affects A minor’s III, v, & VII chords:
| III+ | V | vii° |
|---|---|---|
| Caug | E | G#dim |
| C augmented | E major | G sharp diminished |
| C - E - G# | E - G# - B | G# - B - D |
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