September 6, 2023 by Klaus Crow
Photo by Bigstockphoto
Once I learned how to build chords of a major or minor scale, the logic of chord progressions made much more sense.
I became more efficient in analyzing and memorizing chord progressions and it was also a helpful tool for song writing and understanding how to improvise over these chords.
As a young kid I underestimated the knowledge of music theory.
It don’t matter how musically gifted you are as a person, music theory makes the life of a musician a lot easier. So benefit and enjoy!
In this post you’ll learn how to build chords of the minor scale, create your own chord progressions and analyze the chord progressions of famous songs in a minor key.
For building chords of the natural minor scale we can use the same approach as building chords of the major scale
Like the major scale we can also build 7 chords of the minor scale. In fact the minor scale is relative to the major scale. When you play the major scale starting on the 6th degree and play seven notes ascending (going up) in the scale you are actually playing a minor scale.
Example 1:
C Major scale = C D E F G A B (C D E F G A B C)
It’s relative (natural) minor scale = A B C D E F G
So C Major is relative to A minor.
Example 2:
G major scale = G A B C D E F# (G A B C D E F# G)
It’s relative (natural) minor scale = E F# G A B C D
So G major is relative to E minor.
BUILDING CHORDS
Now let’s take the A minor scale for example.
A minor scale = A B C D E F G
To build the first chord of the minor scale we stack 2 thirds on top of each other. So if you start at “A” you take the 1st note (A) then stack a third (C) and stack another third (E)
So now you have A C E
A C E = A minor chord
Then we build a chord of the second degree of the minor scale “B”
Again from the B chord we stack 2 thirds on top of each other.
So from “B” take the 1st, 3rd and 5th note = B D F
B D F = Bdim chord
Build a chord from the 3rd degree of the minor scale “C”
Stacking thirds: C E G
C E G = C major chord
Chord from 4th degree is “D”, stacking thirds: D F A = D minor
Chord from 5th degree is “E”, stacking thirds: E G B = E minor
Chord from 6th degree is “F”, stacking thirds: F A C = F major
Chord from 7th degree is “G”, stacking thirds: G B D = G major
So we got:
A minor, B diminished, C major, D minor, E minor, F major and G major.
All these chords can be used to create an A minor chord progression.
Now we can derive a formula from this pattern of chords.
Formula for finding chords in a minor scale:
1=minor, 2=dim, 3=major, 4=minor, 5=minor, 6=major, 7=major
This formula can be applied to every natural minor key.
For example if you take the E minor scale: E F# G A B C D
Apply formula and you get these chords:
E minor, F# diminished, G major, A minor, B minor, C major, D major
So if you wanna write a song with an Em chord progression you can use all these chords randomly and they will all sound perfectly well together.
BUILDING CHORD PROGRESSIONS
In music we use roman numerals to indicate the order of chords in a chord progression.
So let’s take the chords built of the E minor scale for example:
i = E minor, ii = F# dim, III = G major, iv = A minor, v = B minor, VI = C major and VII = D major.
Now we can write down chord progressions with help of the roman numerals. Here are some of the most common chord progression in a minor key in pop, folk, rock and blues music:
Progression: i – iv – i
In the key of E that is = Em Am Em
In the key of A that is = Am Dm Am
Song examples: I shot the Sheriff – Bob Marley
Progression: i – v
In the key of E that is = Em Bm
In the key of A that is = Am Em
Song examples: Losing my religion – REM
Progression: i – iv – v – i
In the key of E that is = Em Am Bm Em
In the key of A that is = Am Dm Em Am
Song examples: So familiar, but can’t come up with a tune right now.
Progression: VI – VII – i – i
In the key of E that is = C D Em Em
In the key of A that is = F G Am Am
Song examples: Chorus of “Don’t cry” – Guns n Roses
Progression: i – VII – VI – VII
In the key of E that is = Em D C D
In the key of A that is = Am G F G
Song examples: All along the watch tower – Bob Dylan
Progression: i – VII – VI – V7
In the key of E that is = Em D C B7
In the key of A that is = Am G F E7
Song examples: Hit the road jack – Ray Charles, Happy together – Turtles, Stray cat strut – Stray Cats
“The jazz chord substitutions in a country song… that was another thing that bent people’s ears. I guess that my favorites are the unique ones. It’s not how fast you play. It’s that unique blending of different stuff I’m most proud of. ~ Brian Setzer
Do you know any songs with one of these progressions? Please share in the comments. Thanks!
An example of I – IV – V progression is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLABDLA5VOg
I really apreciate your website. Thanks!
sorry, in THIS version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Am7pn207g0g
Hi Klaus,
I might be slightly confused about this, but since the C major scale for example would be exactly the same like the A minor scale etc etc, is there any reason to practice minor scales instead of major scales, since they’re exactly the same. A i – v minor progression in A (Am Em) is exactly the same as a vi – iii major progression in C. To me it seems kind of redundant to learn both, or am I not correct in thinking that?
Thanks in advance,
Stefan
Okay everything made perfect sense right until the end with the i-VII-VI-V7 progression. It sounds amazing when played but whats the “deal” with it? Could I replace any of the degrees of a scale with a 7th instead? or is it just some like the 5th
I had forgotten about the minor chord progression and it was bugging me. This time Im will not forget :D
I was getting confused with the 4th or 5th degree to be relative minors. Both options wrong and I was getting confused over them. Lol.
Moving two degrees forward each time to form chord triads is something I did not know earlier and never noticed. Now I understand how the majors and minors come up in progressions.
Thanks for the lesson. It waa really helpful
Hi Stefan.
Only the chord progression will be same for the A minor and C major scale. The notes for in the solo for each scale is different. So, in a C major chord progression, you can play either Cmajor or Aminor solo since both the solos have same chord progression.
Chord progressions and scales are very different. Chord progressions are derived from scales.
Hi. I’m grateful for your careful explanation. However, I didn’t understand the example E F# G A B C D for building a minor progression.
According to the FORUMULA, why should ii be FSHARP dim instead of simply F dim? I understand that F SHARP dim is F SHARP A C, but can’t ii just be F A flat C flat.
Also, what modes can be applied to this kind of basic minor progression?
Someone told me that dorian ♭５ works with ii. Does that mean in the case of F SHARP dim, the scale should be F SHARP, G SHARP, A, B, C, D SHARP, E ?
I’m not very good at figuring out these things on myself since I don’t have a music teacher, but minor chord progressions are so important in scatting.
Hi JOhn augustine:
The e minor scale is 2122122. So it will be E F# G A B C D. You cannot replace F# with F in an E minor scale. It is fixed. If you change F# into F, it will no longer form an E minor scale.
I don’t know if this will be of any help considering that i’m late on the comments…
But the reason why the 4th and 5th degree minors don’t sound right is because it is the minor harmonic scale. The 7th note in the minor scale is raised by one semitone, or one halfstep.
Take for example the Key of Eb Major.. the minor being C minor.
the chord progression from this website shows that the 1, 4, and 5 degree are to be Cm, Fm, Gm. But since we are in the harmonic minor scale, the 7th note of the scale (in C minor scale, it is the Bb), is raised by one semitone, so it is now B natural. This makes the chord progression to be Cm, Fm, G(major), and now makes it sound better.
Hi Klaus,
Thanks very very very much ! You’re awesome ! God bless you with peace & love.
Amen…
Hi Hemansu,
God bless you too.
Very helpful.. Thanks :)
I like how organized the material is and easy to follow as this was a review for me.
I bookmarked this page to reference in the future.
~Shadesoftourmaline
Guys does this mean that de fomular for minor progressions does not
Differ from the modes such as phrygen , dorian, aeolian (sorry if my spellings are wrong)
I realised that the aeolian mode is what we have established now..
I jux read this article and am really learning alot..I hope someone understands
Please help with my question kluas..or anybody.
Thanks. .
Thank you so much man…..
I love you dude….
Thanks a lot…..
Fine explanation in easy words…..
☺☺☺
Keep rocking…
〽〽
Why is it Em C B7 and not Em C Bm. The first way sounds great, but isn’t Bm the fifth of the Em progression?
@XanderSnow technically that chord progression is E Harmonic Minor which swaps the v for a V7 for a sharper lead-in to the i chord (at the expense of swapping the VII to a viiº).
You really stack 3rds? A third and a fifth. is that that same thing? 4 semitones and 3 semitones to the major fifth.
Thanks very interesting. Question, a minor chord progression like this Am-Em-F-Dm (i-v-VI-iv) does it make sense? Does it sounds good as it seems to me or am I wrong?
Hi Joas,
Your progression Am-Em-F-Dm sounds perfectly fine, so yes it makes total sense. 😄👍
Best,
Klaus