# Relative key

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Major and minor scales with same key signature

[Circle of fifths](/source/Circle_of_fifths) showing major and minor keys

In [music](/source/Music), **relative keys** are the [major](/source/Major_scale) and [minor scales](/source/Minor_scale) that have the same [key signatures](/source/Key_signature) ([enharmonically](/source/Enharmonic) equivalent), meaning that they share all of the same notes but are arranged in a different order of [whole steps](/source/Whole_step) and [half steps](/source/Half_step). A pair of major and minor scales sharing the same key signature are said to be in a **relative relationship**.[1][2] The **relative minor** of a particular major [key](/source/Key_(music)), or the **relative major** of a minor key, is the key which has the same [key signature](/source/Key_signature) but a different [tonic](/source/Tonic_(music)). (This is as opposed to [*parallel* minor or major](/source/Parallel_key), which shares the same tonic.)

For example, [F major](/source/F_major) and [D minor](/source/D_minor) both have one flat in their key signature: B♭. Therefore, D minor is the relative minor of F major, and conversely F major is the relative major of D minor. The [tonic](/source/Tonic_(music)) of the relative minor is the [sixth](/source/Submediant) [scale degree](/source/Scale_degree) of the major scale, while the tonic of the relative major is the [third](/source/Mediant) scale degree of the minor scale.[1] The minor key starts three [semitones](/source/Semitone) below its relative major; for example, A minor is three semitones below its relative, C major.

The relative relationship may be visualized through the [circle of fifths](/source/Circle_of_fifths).[1]

[Chromatic modulation](/source/Chromatic_modulation) in Bach's *Du grosser Schmerzensmann*, BWV 300, m. 5-6 ([Play](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/5/52/Chromatic_modulation_in_Bach_BWV_300%2C_m._5-6.mid/Chromatic_modulation_in_Bach_BWV_300%2C_m._5-6.mid.mp3)[ⓘ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chromatic_modulation_in_Bach_BWV_300,_m._5-6.mid) with [half cadence](/source/Half_cadence), [Play](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/14/Chromatic_modulation_in_Bach_BWV_300%2C_m._5-6_with_resolution.mid/Chromatic_modulation_in_Bach_BWV_300%2C_m._5-6_with_resolution.mid.mp3)[ⓘ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chromatic_modulation_in_Bach_BWV_300,_m._5-6_with_resolution.mid) with PAC) transitions from FM to its relative minor dm through the inflection of C♮ to C♯ between the second and third chords. This modulation does not require a change of key signature.

Relative keys are a type of [closely related keys](/source/Closely_related_key), the keys between which most [modulations](/source/Modulation_(music)) occur, because they differ by no more than one accidental. Relative keys are the most closely related, as they share exactly the same notes.[3]

The major key and the minor key also share the same set of chords. In every major key, the [triad](/source/Triad_(music)) built on the first degree of the scale is [major](/source/Major_triad), the second and third are [minor](/source/Minor_triad), the fourth and fifth are major, the sixth is minor, and the seventh is [diminished](/source/Diminished_triad). In the relative minor, the same triads pertain. Because of this, it can occasionally be difficult to determine whether a particular piece of music is in a major key or its relative minor.

## Distinguishing on the basis of melody

To distinguish a minor key from its relative major, one can look to the first note/chord of the melody, which usually is the [tonic](/source/Tonic_(music)) or the [dominant (fifth note)](/source/Dominant_(music)); The last note/chord also tends to be the tonic. A "raised 7th" is also a strong indication of a minor scale (instead of a major scale): For example, C major and A minor both have no sharps or flats in their key signatures, but if the note G♯ (the seventh note in A minor raised by a [semitone](/source/Semitone)) occurs frequently in a melody, then this melody is likely in A [harmonic minor](/source/Minor_scale#Harmonic_minor_scale), instead of C major.

## List

A complete list of relative minor/major pairs in order of the [circle of fifths](/source/Circle_of_fifths) is:

Key signature Major key Minor key B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭ C♭ major A♭ minor B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭ G♭ major E♭ minor B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭ D♭ major B♭ minor B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭ A♭ major F minor B♭, E♭, A♭ E♭ major C minor B♭, E♭ B♭ major G minor B♭ F major D minor None C major A minor F♯ G major E minor F♯, C♯ D major B minor F♯, C♯, G♯ A major F♯ minor F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯ E major C♯ minor F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯ B major G♯ minor F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯ F♯ major D♯ minor F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯, B♯ C♯ major A♯ minor

## Terminology

In German, *relative key* is *Paralleltonart*, while *[parallel key](/source/Parallel_key)* is *Varianttonart*. Similar terminology is used in most Germanic and Slavic languages, but not in [Romance languages](/source/Romance_languages). Adding to the confusion, a [parallel chord](/source/Parallel_and_counter_parallel) is derived from the relative key.

## See also

- [Chromatic mediant](/source/Chromatic_mediant)

- [Mode (music)](/source/Mode_(music))

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-B&S_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-B&S_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-B&S_1-2) Benward; Saker (2003). *Music in Theory and Practice*. Vol. I. McGraw-Hill. pp. 33–35. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-07-294262-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-07-294262-0). D flat major and a minor scale that have the same key signature are said to be in a *relative relationship*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Forte, Allen](/source/Allen_Forte) (1979). *Tonal Harmony* (3rd ed.). Holt, Rinehart, and Wilson. p. 9. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-03-020756-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-03-020756-8). The key which shares the same key signature but not the same first degree with another scale is called *relative*. Thus, e.g. the relative of C major is A minor (no sharps or flats in either key signature); the relative major of A minor is C major.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBenwardSaker2003243_3-0)** [Benward & Saker 2003](#CITEREFBenwardSaker2003), p. 243.

v t e Chords By form Triad Major Minor Augmented Diminished Suspended Seventh Leading-tone Major Minor Dominant Dominant seventh flat five Diminished Half-diminished Diminished major Minor-major Augmented major Augmented minor Altered seventh Nondominant Harmonic seventh Extended Ninth Eleventh Thirteenth Upper structure Dominant 7♯9 Polychord Tone cluster Added / omitted Sixth Augmented sixth Lydian Seven six Specific Alpha Bridge Complexe sonore Dream Elektra Farben Grandmother Magic Mystic Northern lights Petrushka Psalms So What Tristan Viennese trichord General Mixed interval Secundal Tertian Quartal and quintal Synthetic chord Tetrad By function Diatonic Tonic Supertonic Mediant Subdominant Dominant Submediant Leading tone / Subtonic Altered Approach Borrowed Chromatic mediant Neapolitan Passing Secondary Secondary dominant Secondary leading-tone Secondary supertonic Other Common Contrast Primary triad Subsidiary Substitute Techniques Barre Block Chordioid Chord-scale system Guitar Open Power Slash Other Arpeggio Chord names and symbols List of chords Factor

v t e Musical key Circle of fifths Closely related Diatonic scale Homotonal Major and minor Modulation Music in all keys Parallel Relative Signature Names and translations Theoretical Tonality Tonic Transposing Instrument

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