B 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 B natural minor scale are:

B – C# – D – E – F# – G – A

Key of B minor

i ii° III iv v VI VII
Bm C#dim D Em F#m G A
B minor C sharp diminished D major E minor F sharp minor G major A major
B - D - F# C# - E - G D - F# - A E - G - B F# - A - C# G - B - D A - C# - E

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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.

B Minor: Extended Chords

B HARMONIC Minor: RESOLVING + cinematic

B natural/diatonic minor often borrows the 7th note from B harmonic minor; it’s just one semitone higher but creates and resolves tension far better than its diatonic counterpart.

This raises B minor’s A to A#, which affects B minor’s III, v, & VII chords:

Borrowing tension: B harmonic minor

III+ V vii°
Daug F# A#dim
D augmented F sharp major A sharp diminished
D - F# - A# F# - A# - C# A# - C# - E

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