Relative Minor Chart: How to Find the Relative Minor and Major
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Your key finder says C major, but the beat feels dark and keeps landing on A minor. Is the tool wrong? Usually not. C major and A minor are a relative pair: two keys that use exactly the same notes. Once you get how relative keys work, a lot of confusing stuff suddenly makes sense, from key detection to autotune settings to which tracks mix well in a DJ set.
In this guide you'll learn what a relative minor is, two quick ways to find it, a chart with all 12 pairs and how to actually use it when you make beats or record vocals. No sheet music needed.
The short answer
- The relative minor of a major key is the minor key that uses the same notes. C major and A minor both use only the white keys.
- To find it, go 3 half steps down from the root of the major key. C, B, B♭, A: so the relative minor of C major is A minor.
- It's also the 6th note of the major scale. In C major (C, D, E, F, G, A, B), the 6th note is A.
- To go the other way, from minor to its relative major, go 3 half steps up. A minor becomes C major.
What does "relative" actually mean?
Every major key has one minor key that shares all seven of its notes and its key signature. That's its relative minor. Same notes, different home base.
The difference is which note and chord feel like "home". If your loop keeps resolving to C, you're in C major. If everything settles on A minor, you're in A minor, even though you never touched a black key. That home note shifts the whole mood: the same set of notes can sound bright in one key and moody in the other.
Want the basics of how major and minor differ in the first place? Read major vs minor explained first, then come back here.
How to find the relative minor (2 ways)
Method 1: count 3 half steps down
Start on the root of your major key and count three keys down on your keyboard or piano roll, black keys included. Where you land is the root of the relative minor.
- G major: G, F♯, F, E. Relative minor: E minor.
- E♭ major: E♭, D, D♭, C. Relative minor: C minor.
Three half steps is a minor third. If that term is new, music intervals explained walks you through it.
Method 2: take the 6th note of the major scale
Write out the major scale and pick the 6th note. In D major (D, E, F♯, G, A, B, C♯), the 6th note is B, so the relative minor is B minor. This method is handy because it also reminds you which notes the two keys share.
Going from minor to major
Just flip it: count 3 half steps up from the minor root, or take the 3rd note of the minor scale. F minor goes F, F♯, G, A♭, so its relative major is A♭ major.
Relative minor chart: all 12 pairs
Here are all the relative pairs in one table. The Camelot column is what many DJ apps and key finders show: same number, different letter (B for major, A for minor).
| Major key | Relative minor | Sharps or flats | Camelot |
|---|---|---|---|
| C major | A minor | none | 8B / 8A |
| G major | E minor | 1 sharp | 9B / 9A |
| D major | B minor | 2 sharps | 10B / 10A |
| A major | F♯ minor | 3 sharps | 11B / 11A |
| E major | C♯ minor | 4 sharps | 12B / 12A |
| B major | G♯ minor | 5 sharps | 1B / 1A |
| F♯ major (G♭) | D♯ minor (E♭ minor) | 6 sharps or 6 flats | 2B / 2A |
| D♭ major (C♯) | B♭ minor (A♯ minor) | 5 flats | 3B / 3A |
| A♭ major | F minor | 4 flats | 4B / 4A |
| E♭ major | C minor | 3 flats | 5B / 5A |
| B♭ major | G minor | 2 flats | 6B / 6A |
| F major | D minor | 1 flat | 7B / 7A |
F♯ major and G♭ major sound the same and are just spelled differently, and so are D♭ and C♯. Which name you see mostly depends on the tool or the sheet. On the circle of fifths you'll find these pairs side by side, with the major keys on the outside and their relative minors on the inside.
Relative minor vs parallel minor
These two get mixed up all the time, so quickly:
- Relative minor: same notes, different root. C major and A minor.
- Parallel minor: same root, different notes. C major and C minor.
Both are useful. Relative keys are great for switching mood without leaving your notes. Parallel keys are where producers "borrow" chords from: drop an F minor chord into a C major loop and it instantly gets that bittersweet edge.
Why this matters when you make beats
1. Your key finder says major, your ears say minor
Because relative keys share every note, key detection can confuse them, especially on loops with little melody or no clear bass. If a tool says C major but your beat sounds dark and keeps landing on an A minor chord, it's probably A minor. Upload your beat to the free Beat Lab to get a BPM and key estimate, then trust your ears: if it says one key of a relative pair and the beat clearly feels like the other, you can correct the key yourself in the tool.
2. Autotune and scale settings
Most pitch correction snaps your voice to the notes of a scale. Since A natural minor and C major have the same notes, both settings give you the same note set. So if you're unsure which one of a relative pair your beat is in, it doesn't change which notes your vocal gets pulled to.
One catch: a lot of minor beats use a major V chord (E major in A minor, which adds a G♯). That's the harmonic minor sound. If your melody hits that G♯ and your tuner is set to plain A minor or C major, it'll pull the note to G or A. In that case pick a harmonic minor scale if your plugin has one, or set the notes manually.
3. Writing a hook that lifts
A classic move: keep the verse centered on the minor chord, then let the hook lean on the relative major. Same notes, same key signature, but the chorus suddenly opens up. In A minor that means a verse that hangs on Am and a hook that starts on C. Try the progression Am, F, C, G and then flip it to C, G, Am, F. Same four chords, different home, completely different feel.
4. Chords that always fit
The seven chords of a major key and its relative minor are the same chords. In C major and A minor that's C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am and Bdim. Any of them will fit a beat in either key. For the full list per key, see chords by key or read which chords go together.
5. DJ sets and mashups
Tracks in relative keys share the same notes, so they usually blend without clashing. On the Camelot wheel that's a switch between A and B on the same number, like 8A to 8B. More on that in harmonic mixing with the Camelot wheel. Got a folder full of tracks? The free batch BPM and key finder gives you the key and Camelot code of each one in a single list.
Try it in 5 minutes
- Pick a key. Say E♭ major. Use the chart: the relative minor is C minor.
- Generate chords. Open the free chord progression generator, choose a mood and a key, set it to minor or major, and download the MIDI.
- Build your loop. Drag the MIDI into your DAW. Play it once so it lands on the minor chord, then rearrange it so it lands on the major chord.
- Listen to the switch. Same notes, different mood. That's the relative key at work.
Rather start writing than building chords? Check out the beats by NameOnTheBeat and run the one you like through Beat Lab to see its key before you write your melody.
FAQ
What is the relative minor of C major?
A minor. Both keys use only the white keys: C, D, E, F, G, A and B.
What is the relative major of A minor?
C major. Count 3 half steps up from A: A♯, B, C.
Is the relative minor the same key as the major?
Not quite. They share the same notes and key signature, but the home note is different, so they feel different. That's why songs can switch between them for contrast.
Why does my key finder show the relative key instead of the real one?
Because both keys contain the same notes, a detector has to guess which note is home. A beat with a vague bass line or a melody that avoids the root makes that harder. Use the estimate as a starting point and let your ears make the final call.
How do I find the relative minor quickly?
Go 3 half steps down from the major root, or take the 6th note of the major scale. Or just use the chart above.
Can I use the same autotune key for both?
Yes, a natural minor key and its relative major give the same notes. The only exception is when your beat or melody uses notes outside that scale, like the raised 7th in harmonic minor.
Want more free help with your beats, like a BPM finder, master checker and rhyme finder? Check out all our free music tools.