Major or minor keys that share the same
key signature are called relative keys. For example, in the key of
G-Major, which has one sharp, the notes are G, A, B, C, D, E, and F#.
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| G-Major scale |
If we instead start on the sixth scale degree of the major scale in the key of G-Major, we then get the
relative minor key, E-minor, with the notes E, F#, G, A, B, C, and D.
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| E-minor scale |
G-Major and E-minor share the same set
of notes and and the same key signature, and therefore are the
relative major and minor keys of each other.
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| Relative major and minor keys: G-Major and E-minor |
To find the relative minor key of a
major key, start on the sixth scale degree of the major scale. To
find the relative major key of a minor key, start on the third scale
degree of the minor scale.
The following shows some more examples of relative major and minor keys.
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| Relative major and minor keys: E-flat Major and C-minor |
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| Relative major and minor keys: D-Major and B-minor |
