Key · minor

The key of A Minor

A Minor has no sharps or flats. Its scale is A B C D E F G. The seven chords built on those degrees are i Am, ii° Bdim, III C, iv Dm, v Em, VI F and VII G; the dominant is Em and the subdominant Dm. Its relative major is C Major and its parallel major is A Major.

Key signature: No sharps or flats
Scale: A B C D E F G
Relative major: C Major
Parallel major: A Major

The scale on the keyboard

Fingering for both hands, the step pattern and the other forms are on the A Natural Minor scale page.

Scale degrees

Degree	Note	Name	Interval from the tonic
1	A	Tonic	Unison
2	B	Supertonic	Major 2nd
3	C	Mediant	Minor 3rd
4	D	Subdominant	Perfect 4th
5	E	Dominant	Perfect 5th
6	F	Submediant	Minor 6th
7	G	Subtonic	Minor 7th

Chords in A Minor

One chord on each degree of the scale. The dominant is Em and the subdominant Dm.

Numeral	Triad	Quality	Seventh
i	Am	Minor	Am7
ii°	Bdim	Diminished	Bm7♭5
III	C	Major	Cmaj7
iv	Dm	Minor	Dm7
v	Em	Minor	Em7
VI	F	Major	Fmaj7
VII	G	Major	G7

Chord functions

Function	Chords
Tonic	i · III · VI
Subdominant	ii° · iv
Dominant	v · VII · V (harmonic)

Common progressions in A Minor

Progression	Chords	Level
i – iv – v	Am – Dm – Em	Easy
i – iv – V	Am – Dm – E	Easy
i – VI – III – VII	Am – F – C – G	Easy
i – VII – VI – VII	Am – G – F – G	Easy
i – VII – VI – V	Am – G – F – E	Medium
i – VI – iv – V	Am – F – Dm – E	Medium
i – iv – VII – III	Am – Dm – G – C	Medium
i – III – VII – iv	Am – C – G – Dm	Medium
i – iv – i – V	Am – Dm – Am – E	Medium
i – IV – i – V	Am – D – Am – E	Hard
ii° – V – i	Bdim – E – Am	Hard
iiø7 – V7 – im7	Bm7♭5 – E7 – Am7	Hard
12-Bar Minor Blues	Am – Am – Am – Am – Dm – Dm – Am – Am – F – E – Am – E	Hard

The other keys

C Major G Major D Major A Major E Major B Major F♯ Major D♭ Major A♭ Major E♭ Major B♭ Major F Major E Minor B Minor F♯ Minor C♯ Minor G♯ Minor E♭ Minor B♭ Minor F Minor C Minor G Minor D Minor

Part of the key reference. See also the chords and the scales.