minor key chord construction

[clickhoward]

OK. I understand that we form basic chords in a major key by taking the scale and applying the pattern: major, minor, minor, major, major, minor, diminished. How do we form a basic set of chords for minor keys (based on the natural minor scale)? Know what I mean?

[The Fury]

Well, the minor is a mode of the major scale so the same chords are derived from it, it's just that you emphasise the 'A' rather than the 'C' of the scale. The natural minor is based on the 6th scale degree so you start from there.

Example:
Chords in a C major scale: C Dmin Emin F G Amin Bdim
Chords in an A minor scale: Amin Bdim C Dmin Emin F G

So instead of: major, minor, minor, major, major, minor, diminished for a major scale

it is: minor, diminished, major, minor, minor, major, major for a minor scale.

I hope that helps some.

[clickhoward]

Fury to the rescue....again. Thanks man. Yeah it makes a lot of sense. So its just a matter of looking at the relatives. G - Em, F - Dm etc. Just gets a little more difficult with A, G, E, as their relative minors seem to be sharps. I'll have to sit sown and work that out. Thanks again.

PS. Havent had the chance to find time for the waterfall tab - but I'll keep you posted. Love that riff!

[The Fury]

Haha, I'm blushing, lol :D

I don't see why the 'sharps' should affect things.

If we take A major: A Bmin C#min D E F#min G#dim
Then the relative minor is just the same chords, only emphasising the F#.

Also, if you want to construct a minor scale without thinking of the relative major first then you can use this series of whole(W) and half(H) steps: W H W W H W W it's just the same as the major, but starting on the 6th scale degree.