Then I would go down to F# (half step #1) then down to F (half step #2) and finally down to E (half step #3). If you are in a major key and you want to find the relative minor, it is super simple.Īll you have to do is go down 3 half steps from the root of the key.įor example, if I’m in G major, I would start on the note G. So there really is no difference between the two when we are talking about finding the relative major or minor. But a scale in this context refers to the 7 notes that make up any given key. I tend to use the terms interchaneably, because they are pretty much the same thing.Ī relative key is just a bit broader of a term, referring to a key as a whole.

relative scaleīefore we continue, let’s talk about the difference between a relative key and a relative scale. Note: if you are teaching this concept to a child, definitely hone in on the family analogy! You can bring home that these keys are similar yet different, just like a family. But now, let’s delve deeper to see them in practice. That is the basic definition of a relative key or scale. Likewise, the key of A minor also has no sharps are flats. For example, the key of C major has no sharps or flats. Every major key has a minor key with the same amount of sharps or flats, and in fact, the same exact notes! Because of this similarity, these two keys or scales are considered to be in the same family. The term “relative key” in music most often refers to a minor key that has the same key signature as a major key (or vice versa). In this guide I will teach you everything you need to know about it in plain English!

Have you ever heard someone use the term “relative key” and wondered what it meant? Or maybe they said something like “that was the relative minor scale!” These terms refer to something very specific in music theory.

Relative major of g flat minor