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Relative Keys

Q: What are relative keys in music?

A: Every major key has a relative minor key. This means that both keys have the same notes in them. For example C major and A minor are relative keys. These are the easiest keys to use to understand this because neither one of them have any sharps or flats. If you play all white keys on a piano and land on C note, then you are playing in C major. If you play all white keys and land on the A note, then you are playing in A minor.

Tip: If you play the minor scale and stop on it’s 3rd note in the scale, that is where it’s relative major scale would start.

 

REALATIVE KEYS AND THEIR NOTES:

Am = A-B-C-D-E-F-G-A / C = C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C

Em = E-F#-G-A-B-C-D-E / G = G-A-B-C-D-E-F#-G

C#m = C#-D#-E-F#-G#-A-B-C# / E = E-F#-G#-A-B-C#-D#-E