A Minor: Notes, Chords and Scale
A minor is a minor key. Its key signature has no sharps or flats. Its scale is A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and its seven diatonic chords are Am, Bdim, C, Dm, Em, F, G. Below are the 7th chords, Roman numerals, related keys, the Camelot code and a keyboard diagram.
Key signature
0
Relative key
Parallel key
Camelot code
8A
Notes
A B C D E F G
Chords in A minor
- iAmA C E
- ii°BdimB D F
- IIICC E G
- ivDmD F A
- vEmE G B
- VIFF A C
- VIIGG B D
Seventh chords
- i7Am7A C E G
- iiø7Bm7♭5B D F A
- IIImaj7Cmaj7C E G B
- iv7Dm7D F A C
- v7Em7E G B D
- VImaj7Fmaj7F A C E
- VII7G7G B D F
How to use these chords
- i, iv and v (Am, Dm, Em) are the primary chords. The v chord is often played major, as V (E) or V7 (E7), taken from the harmonic minor scale, which raises G to G♯.
- III, VI and VII (C, F, G) are major chords. They are the I, IV and V chords of the relative major, C major.
- ii° (Bdim) is a diminished chord and often leads to V.
- Common progressions, in Roman numerals: i VI III VII (Am, F, C, G); i iv V (Am, Dm, E); i VII VI V (Am, G, F, E).
Common uses of A minor
- A minor shares its seven notes and its key signature with its relative major, C major.
- On a piano, A minor uses only the white keys.
- The root note, A, is an open string on a guitar in standard tuning (E A D G B E), so it can ring under the chords.
- On guitar, Am, Dm, Em, E all have common open position shapes.
- In the Camelot system DJs use for harmonic mixing, A minor is 8A; tracks in 7A, 9A and 8B usually mix smoothly with it.
- Open A minor in the Scale and Chord Finder
- Find your song's key from the audio: Detect Key and BPM
- Camelot Wheel: 8A
- Write chords or MIDI in A minor with MIDI LabMIDI Lab, from the same team as SongTools, writes chord progressions, bass, drums and melody as MIDI from a prompt.
- C major: notes and chords
- All 24 major and minor keys
Questions about A minor
What chords are in A minor?
The seven chords in A minor are Am, Bdim, C, Dm, Em, F, G (i, ii°, III, iv, v, VI, VII). As seventh chords they are Am7, Bm7♭5, Cmaj7, Dm7, Em7, Fmaj7, G7.
What notes are in the A minor scale?
A, B, C, D, E, F, G. Its key signature has no sharps or flats.
What is the relative major of A minor?
C major. It uses the same seven notes and key signature as A minor, starting from C. The parallel major, A major, starts on the same note as A minor but has a different key signature.
What is the Camelot code for A minor?
8A. Next to it on the Camelot wheel are 7A and 9A, and 8B is its relative major, C major.