For every key signature (the number of sharps or flats in a key), there are always two primary options: one major and one minor key. Keys that share a key signature are called relative keys. You can also call them the relative major and the relative minor – so if you have a piece in C Major, the relative minor is A Minor. Or if your piece is in D Minor, the relative major is F Major.
From Major to Relative Minor
In order to find the relative minor, you go down a minor third (3 half steps) from the tonic of the major scale. For example, if you want to find the relative minor for G Major, you will find E a minor third below G, which means that E Minor is the relative minor.
From Minor to Relative Major
In order to find the relative major, you invert the process and go up a minor third (3 half steps) from the tonic of the minor scale. So if you know your piece is in B Minor, you will find that the relative major is D Major.
Scales
The notes and the diatonic chords are identical within relative keys – the starting point and tonal center are just placed differently. For example, C Major has the notes C D E F G A B C. A Minor, in its natural form, shifts the starting point to A, but contains the same notes in the same order: A B C D E F G A.
This becomes particularly helpful once you arrive to keys that have more sharps or flats. For example, E Major and C# Minor both have 4 sharps, and the sharps are the same for both keys – you don’t need to memorize a different set of 4 sharps to be able to play both! They both use the sharps F#, C#, G#, and D#. (Want to know why I named them in that order and not in the order they appear in the scale? Check out this article on the circle of fifths!)
You play E Major as follows: E F# G# A B C# D# E, and C# Minor: C# D# E F# G# A B C#.
Have more specific questions about relative keys? Or anything music theory related? Send me an email at robyn@pianowithrobyn.com, and I’m happy to help!
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