Relative key
When a piece of music is in a major key, the relative minor means the minor key which has the same key signature. It can be found by taking the sixth note of the first scale and playing a minor scale starting on that note. For example: in C major the sixth note is an A. Therefore, A minor is the relative minor of C major (C major and A minor share the same key signature: no sharps or flats). C major is called the relative major of A minor.
A complete list of relative minor/major pairs in order of the circle of fifths is:
| Key signature | Major key | Minor key |
|---|---|---|
| B[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math], E[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math], A[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math], D[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math], G[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math], C[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math], F[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math] | C flat major | A flat minor |
| B[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math], E[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math], A[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math], D[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math], G[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math], C[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math] | G flat major | E flat minor |
| B[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math], E[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math], A[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math], D[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math], G[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math] | D flat major | B flat minor |
| B[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math], E[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math], A[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math], D[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math] | A flat major | F minor |
| B[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math], E[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math], A[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math] | E flat major | C minor |
| B[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math], E[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math] | B flat major | G minor |
| B[math]\displaystyle{ \flat }[/math] | F major | D minor |
| C major | A minor | |
| F[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math] | G major | E minor |
| F[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math], C[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math] | D major | B minor |
| F[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math], C[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math], G[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math] | A major | F sharp minor |
| F[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math], C[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math], G[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math], D[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math] | E major | C sharp minor |
| F[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math], C[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math], G[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math], D[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math], A[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math] | B major | G sharp minor |
| F[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math], C[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math], G[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math], D[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math], A[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math], E[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math] | F sharp major | D sharp minor |
| F[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math], C[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math], G[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math], D[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math], A[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math], E[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math], B[math]\displaystyle{ \sharp }[/math] | C sharp major | A sharp minor |
Relative Key Media
Circle of fifths showing major and minor keys
Chromatic modulation in Bach BWV 300, m.
Relative major and minor scales on C and A with shared notes connected by lines.
