Chords in Minor Keys

[svenkabob]

In a mjor key (C for example) the chords are :

C Dm Em F G Am Bdim, or 1 2m 3m 4 5 6m 7dim

what is the equivalent for chords in a minor key?
I know the notes, but which are played as minor chords?

steve

[Andrew]

So you must know about relative minors. The relative minor has the same notes as its relative major, so it must have the same chords.

C major - I IIm IIIm IV V VI VIIdim - C Dm Em F G Am Bdim
So,
A minor - Am Bdim C Dm Em F G - Im IIdim bIII IVm Vm bVI bVII

So the formula is - Im, IIdim, bIII, IVm, Vm, bVI, bVII

[cyberfret]

Here is a lesson on understanding the relative minor.
http://www.cyberfret.com/theory/minor-scales/natural/index.htm

Often in a minor key there are 2 chords borrowed from a harmonic minor scale. In the key of A minor that Andrew is using, they would be E or E7 (V or V7) and G#dim or G#dim7 (VII dim or VII dim7).

So often a minor key is a combination of natural minor, and harmonic minor. So in taking the chords of natural minor, and replacing the Em (Vm) with E or E7 (V or V7) ....and the G (bVII) with G#dim or G#dim7 (VII dim or VII dim7) will get you get a very common set of chords that are used in a minor key. Minor keys are a little more complicated than the major. Only because you are deriving the chords from a couple of different scales rather than just one.

Here are a couple of basic Harmonic Minor scale fingerings.
http://www.cyberfret.com/scales/reference/harmonic-minor.htm

--Shawn

[Coffee]

Go back to your original post. The relative minor of C Major is a minor third below the root. That is the relative minor of C Major is A minor. Just rearrange the chords starting with Am and you have your chords. Am is 1 Bdim (Bm7b5) is 2 C is 3 Dm is 4 etc.