What chords are in a minor key?

A natural minor key contains 7 diatonic chords: i minor, ii diminished, III major, iv minor, v minor, VI major, VII major. In A minor: Am, Bdim, C, Dm, Em, F, G. Unlike major keys, the dominant (v) chord is minor in natural minor. Harmonic minor raises the v to a major V chord for stronger tension.

Minor Scale: Natural, Harmonic, and Melodic Charts for All 12 Keys

Q: What is the difference between natural, harmonic, and melodic minor?

Natural minor uses the formula W-H-W-W-H-W-W. Harmonic minor raises the 7th degree by one semitone (creating a leading tone for stronger resolution). Melodic minor raises both the 6th and 7th degrees ascending, then reverts to natural minor descending. Most pop and hip-hop uses natural minor. Classical and jazz often use harmonic or melodic minor.

Q: How do I know if a song is in a minor key?

Upload the audio to beatkey.app to detect the key instantly. The tool identifies whether the track is major or minor and gives the Camelot code. Minor keys use the A suffix on the Camelot Wheel (1A-12A), major keys use B (1B-12B).

The minor scale is the foundation of hip-hop, R&B, trap, rock, and most emotional music. This reference covers all three minor scale types (natural, harmonic, melodic) with complete note charts for all 12 keys, diatonic chords, Camelot codes, and production tips.

Minor keys

Notes per scale

W-H-W-W-H-W-W

Natural minor formula

Minor scale types

The Three Types of Minor Scale

Natural Minor

W-H-W-W-H-W-W

In A: A B C D E F G

The standard minor scale. Also called Aeolian mode. Used in most pop, hip-hop, R&B, rock, and electronic music.

Raised notes: None

Harmonic Minor

W-H-W-W-H-1.5-H

In A: A B C D E F G#

Raises the 7th degree by one semitone. Creates a strong pull back to the tonic. Common in classical, flamenco, and metal.

Raised notes: 7th degree

Melodic Minor

Ascending: W-H-W-W-W-W-H

In A: Ascending: A B C D E F# G# / Descending: A B C D E F G

Raises both 6th and 7th ascending, reverts to natural minor descending. Used in jazz and classical composition.

Raised notes: 6th and 7th (ascending)

For producers and DJs: Start with natural minor. It is what BeatKey detects, what Chord Finder identifies, and what most music theory software uses. Harmonic minor is useful for specific progressions (especially the V7-i cadence). Melodic minor is primarily a compositional tool in jazz and classical.

Natural Minor Scale Formula

W - H - W - W - H - W - W

Whole step (2 semitones), Half step (1 semitone)

Example in A: A(+2)B(+1)C(+2)D(+2)E(+1)F(+2)G(+2)A

Degree	Interval	Semitones	Scale Degree Name
1	Root	0	Tonic
2	Major 2nd	2	Supertonic
b3	Minor 3rd	3	Mediant
4	Perfect 4th	5	Subdominant
5	Perfect 5th	7	Dominant
b6	Minor 6th	8	Submediant
b7	Minor 7th	10	Subtonic

All 12 Natural Minor Scales - Complete Note Charts

Each row shows the 7 notes of the natural minor scale, its Camelot code for harmonic mixing, and its relative major key.

Key	1	2	b3	4	5	b6	b7	Camelot	Relative Major
A minor	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	8A	C major
E minor	E	F#	G	A	B	C	D	12A	G major
B minor	B	C#	D	E	F#	G	A	3A	D major
F# minor	F#	G#	A	B	C#	D	E	10A	A major
C# minor	C#	D#	E	F#	G#	A	B	5A	E major
G# minor	G#	A#	B	C#	D#	E	F#	12A	B major
D minor	D	E	F	G	A	Bb	C	7A	F major
G minor	G	A	Bb	C	D	Eb	F	6A	Bb major
C minor	C	D	Eb	F	G	Ab	Bb	5A	Eb major
F minor	F	G	Ab	Bb	C	Db	Eb	4A	Ab major
Bb minor	Bb	C	Db	Eb	F	Gb	Ab	3A	Db major
Eb minor	Eb	F	Gb	Ab	Bb	Cb	Db	2A	Gb major

Diatonic Chords in a Minor Key

Every natural minor key contains the same pattern of 7 diatonic chords. The Roman numeral shows the scale degree. Uppercase = major, lowercase = minor, degree sign = diminished.

Degree	Quality	In A minor	Sound
i	Minor	Am	Home, dark, emotional
ii°	Diminished	Bdim	Unstable, tension
III	Major	C	Lift, contrast
iv	Minor	Dm	Sad, melancholy
v	Minor	Em	Mild tension (natural minor)
VI	Major	F	Warm, bittersweet
VII	Major	G	Floating, unresolved

Key difference from major: In natural minor, the dominant (v) chord is minor, not major. This gives it a floating, unresolved quality compared to major keys. For stronger resolution, borrow the major V chord from harmonic minor (in A minor, use E major instead of E minor). This gives the classic V7-i cadence.

Harmonic Minor Scale Charts

The harmonic minor raises the 7th degree by one semitone. The raised note (shown in amber) creates a leading tone that pulls strongly back to the tonic, giving a classical or exotic sound.

Key	1	2	b3	4	5	b6	7 (raised)
A harm.	A	B	C	D	E	F	G#
E harm.	E	F#	G	A	B	C	D#
B harm.	B	C#	D	E	F#	G	A#
D harm.	D	E	F	G	A	Bb	C#
G harm.	G	A	Bb	C	D	Eb	F#
C harm.	C	D	Eb	F	G	Ab	B

Amber = raised 7th degree (leading tone). Full 12-key chart: apply the pattern to any root note by raising the 7th note of the natural minor scale by one semitone.

Melodic Minor Scale Charts

The melodic minor raises both the 6th and 7th degrees when ascending, then descends as natural minor. The raised notes (shown in amber) smooth out the augmented 2nd gap in harmonic minor, making it easier to sing or phrase melodically.

Key	Direction	1	2	b3	4	5	6	7
A mel.	Ascending	A	B	C	D	E	F#	G#
A mel.	Descending	A	B	C	D	E	F	G
D mel.	Ascending	D	E	F	G	A	B	C#
D mel.	Descending	D	E	F	G	A	Bb	C
G mel.	Ascending	G	A	Bb	C	D	E	F#
G mel.	Descending	G	A	Bb	C	D	Eb	F
C mel.	Ascending	C	D	Eb	F	G	A	B
C mel.	Descending	C	D	Eb	F	G	Ab	Bb

Amber = raised notes (ascending only). Jazz musicians often use the ascending form in both directions, ignoring the classical descend-as-natural-minor rule.

Common Minor Key Chord Progressions

Classic Minor

Rock, Pop

i - VII - VI - VII

In A minor: Am - G - F - G

Examples: Stairway to Heaven, Runaway

Andalusian Cadence

Flamenco, Hip-hop

i - VII - VI - V

In A minor: Am - G - F - E

Examples: Smooth Criminal (loop basis)

Minor Plagal

R&B, Soul

i - iv - i

In A minor: Am - Dm - Am

Examples: Gospel and soul progressions

Aeolian Loop

Pop, EDM, Trap

i - VI - III - VII

In A minor: Am - F - C - G

Examples: Pumped Up Kicks, countless EDM tracks

Minor Keys in Harmonic Mixing (Camelot Wheel)

On the Camelot Wheel, minor keys are in the inner ring (A suffix). Numbers 1A through 12A. Adjacent numbers mix well. The relative major of each minor key shares the same Camelot number (e.g., A minor = 8A, C major = 8B).

C major

12A

G major

D major

F#m

10A

A major

C#m

E major

G#m

12A

B major

F major

Bb major

Eb major

Ab major

Bbm

Db major

Ebm

Gb major

Interactive Camelot Wheel Harmonic Mixing Guide

Using Minor Scales in Production

Hip-Hop and Trap

Most trap, hip-hop, and drill beats are in minor keys. The i-VII-VI-VII loop is extremely common. Detect the key of your sample at beatkey.app, then use this chart to find the exact notes for bass lines, melodies, and chord stabs.

Sample Flipping

Soul, R&B, and jazz samples are often in minor keys. Once you know the key from BeatKey, use the natural minor chart to find the scale notes and build new melodies that stay in key. The minor b3 and b7 give hip-hop its characteristic dark, emotional feel.

Chord Writing

The i (minor), VI (major), and VII (major) are the most common chords in minor key pop and hip-hop. The iv chord adds melancholy. For stronger cadences, borrow the V major from harmonic minor (in A minor, use E major, not E minor) to create a classic V-i resolution.

DJ Mixing

Minor keys use the A suffix on the Camelot Wheel (1A-12A). Adjacent numbers mix well. Switching from a minor key (e.g., 8A) to its relative major (8B) is a "mode switch" that lifts the energy. Use the Interactive Camelot Wheel at beatkey.app/camelot-wheel for visual planning.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the notes in the A minor scale?

The A natural minor scale has 7 notes: A, B, C, D, E, F, G. It shares the same notes as C major (no sharps or flats), making it the simplest minor scale. The Camelot code is 8A.

What is the difference between natural, harmonic, and melodic minor?

Natural minor (Aeolian) follows the pattern W-H-W-W-H-W-W. Harmonic minor raises the 7th degree by one semitone, creating a stronger pull to the tonic. Melodic minor raises both the 6th and 7th degrees ascending, then reverts to natural minor descending. Most pop and hip-hop uses natural minor. Harmonic minor is common in classical and flamenco. Melodic minor appears in jazz and classical composition.

What chords are in A minor?

A natural minor contains 7 diatonic chords: Am (i), Bdim (ii), C (III), Dm (iv), Em (v), F (VI), G (VII). The most common chords for hip-hop and pop are Am, C, F, and G (i-III-VI-VII). For classical-style resolution, borrow E major from harmonic minor as the dominant V chord.

How do I find the minor key of a song?

Upload the audio to beatkey.app to detect the key automatically. The tool identifies whether the track is major or minor and gives the Camelot code. Minor keys appear as 1A through 12A on the Camelot Wheel.

Find the Minor Scale for Any Track

Upload audio to detect the key instantly. BeatKey identifies BPM, musical key, and Camelot code from your browser with no signup required.

Detect Key with BeatKey Scale Finder Tool Major Scale Guide