As you learnt in Lesson 21, to find the relative minor of any major key, you start on the 6th degree of the major scale. The example below shows the scale tone triads for the key of A minor, the chords derived from the natural minor scale. As you will see, the chords are exactly the same as those contained in the key of C major. The only difference is the starting and finishing point – because the minor scale starts on A, A minor will now be chord 1 instead of 6.
The following progression could be described in two possible ways. All the chords occur in the key of C major and also in the key of A minor. Because the progression has an obvious minor tonality (sound), musicians would use the second description. Analyze the progression using the roman numerals shown under the chords above, and then experiment with other chord combinations in the key of A minor.