Lesson 3
Theory
The Minor Key
Songs in Minor Keys tend to sound more “sad” and “mellow”.
Minor Keys have the same Key Signature as their relative majors. For example,
Am has no key signature (neither does C)
Em has an F# key signature (just like G)
The SCALE (7 out of 12 notes) of the Minor Key is a little trickier to derive because
there are two variations. This is demonstrated with the scale of Am. Since Am has no key
signature, you would think that the notes should be:
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
A
i.e. the rules should be:
[Major Key for comparison]
1
(the note of the same name as the key)
12 TONE
TONE
23 SEMITONE
TONE
34 TONE
SEMITONE
45 TONE
TONE
56 SEMITONE
TONE
67 TONE
TONE
71 TONE
SEMITONE
The triad for a minor key is slightly different too!
1st3rd note 3 SEMITONES
4 SEMITONES
1st5th note 7 SEMITONES
7 SEMITONES (the same)
rd
The major triad and the minor triad differ on the 3 note.
Thus, while D is a triad of the notes D, F#, A,
Dm is a triad of the notes D, F, A.
The principal three chords in the Minor key are I, IV, and V just like in the Major Key.
Hence, in the key of Am, they would be Am, Dm, Em,
and in the key of Em, they would be Em, Am, Bm.
It turns out that life is slightly more complicated…
In the Harmonic Minor scale, the 7th note is always “raised” a SEMITONE. Hence the
harmonic minor scale is:
A
B
C
D
E
F
G#
A
i.e.
67 TONE+SEMITONE
71 SEMITONE
The main difference this makes is that in the Harmonic Minor, chord V is no longer a
minor triad but a major triad.
For example, in the key of Am, chord V is composed of E, G#, B which is the chord E,
instead of E, G, B which would be the chord Em. Recall that the difference between a
major and a minor triad is just the third note. This “raised” note results in the Harmonic
Minor having as its three principal chords, Am, Dm, E (instead of Am, Dm, Em).
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The Melodic Minor is a little more complicated. If you go “up” (ascend) the scale, the 6th
and 7th notes are both raised. If you go “down” (descend) the scale, neither of them are
raised. For example, in Am
Going up:
A
B
C
D
E
F#
G#
A
Going down: A
G
F
E
D
C
B
A
As a result, you could have all sorts of other chords in the Minor Keys.
Relative Major
Just like we saw in the Major Key, the relative majors of the three principal minor chords
are important. In fact, you will find that songs in Minor Keys tend to make much use of
their relative major chords very often. (On the other hand, the Major Keys tend to make
less use of the relative minors.) It is this combination of minor and major chords which
makes songs in Minor keys a unique blend.
We illustrate this with the key of Em (for a change from Am) which has the Key
Signature of F#.
The three principal chords are I, IV, V or Em, Am, Bm.
To this we add one more principal chord coming from the harmonic minor: B.
[Actually B will get used more often than Bm in most songs in the key of Em.]
The three relative major chords are III, VI, VII, or G, C, D respectively.
[Notice that the these are I, IV, V of the key of G (which is the relative major of Em)!]
Progressions
One of the common progressions used involves the chords I, VI and VII.
In “I will Celebrate”, we see the common I-VI-VII-I progression of Em-C-D-Em.
The verses in the Xmas song “What Child is This?” (to the tune of Greensleeves) has
another typical progression, the I-VII-VI-V (where V is major) as in Em-D-C-B. The
chorus actually MODULATES (the technical term for changing Key midway through the
song) to G for a while before going back to the key of Em. This modulation to the
relative major is quite common!
Strumming in 3/4 Time
There are three beats in a bar. Each beat corresponds to a down strum.



1
2
3
The up strums come on the half beats just like 4/4.
     
1
2
3
And we typically leave out the first up strum to accentuate the first beat.

   
1
2
3
Homework
Necessary: Play all songs except the optional one.
Optional: “What Child is This?” (but good if you can play it!)
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I will celebrate
(Em 4/4)
Em
C
I will celebrate, sing unto the Lord
D
Em
C D
I will sing to him a new song
(2x)
Em
C
I will praise Him
D
Em
C D
For He has triumphed vic---toriously
Amazing Grace
(D 3/4)
Try it for the 4/4 songs!
(Em)
(2x)
The E chord is actually a quick
temporary modulation to the key of
A (E is chord V in the key of A).
D
G
D
Amazing grace how sweet the sound
Bm
E
A
That saved a wretch like me
D
G
D
I once was lost but now am found
Bm
A
D
Was blind but now I see
We are One in the Spirit
Another common 4/4 strumming
variation is, in addition to leaving out
the first up strum, to leave out the
third down strum. Thus,
1 2
3
4 (beats in the bar)
     
Alternatively, you could play it as
D-Bm-Em-A which is a I-VI-II-V
progression. II almost always
resolves to V.
You could think of the D-Bm-E-A
as a similar progression! Its just
that in this case its I-VI-II*-IV
where II* is the major chord rather
than the expected minor chord.
(Em 4/4)
Em
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
Am
Em
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
Am
Em
And we pray that all unity may one day be restored
C
Em
Am
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Em
Am
(Bm)
Em
Yes they’ll know we are Christians by our love
What Child is This? (Em 3/4)
Em
D
C
B
What child is this who laid to rest on Mary’s lap is sleeping
Em
D
C
B
Em
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet while shepherds watch are keeping
Bm
G
D
Em
C
B
This, this is Christ the King whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Bm
G
D
C
B
Em
Haste, haste to bring him laud, the babe, the son of Mary.
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New Chords
Although not all these chords are used in the songs in this Lesson, they are still a useful
bunch of chords to know.
x
3
4
Am
x
x
Dm
2
3
4
2
x
x
5 is also OK
3
4
5
B
x
x
C#m
2
3
2
4
F#m
x
x
x
2
3
4
You now know the I, IV, and V chords for the keys of:
E:
Am:
Em:
Bm:
E, A, B
Am, Dm, Em
Em, Am, Bm
Bm, C#m, F#m
The first three Major keys you learnt were:
D:
D, G, A
G:
G, C, D
A:
A, D, E
You now have the chords for the relative minors for these three keys:
D:
Bm, Em, F#m
G:
Em, Am, Bm
A:
F#m, Bm, C#m
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Easy E-A-B
The song "I believe in Jesus" uses a simple E-A-B that just requires sliding along the
fretboard. Just hold down the E chord and "slide" appropriately to "A" and "B". [You
don't actually have to slide.]
E
"A"
"B"
Have fun with it!
I Believe in Jesus
E
(E 4/4)
"A"
"B"
I
believe in Jesus
E
"A"
"B"
I believe he is the Son of God
E
"A"
"B"
I believe he died and rose again
E
"A"
"B"
I believe he paid for us all
"A"
"B"
"E"
"A"
And I believe He is here now (I believe he is here)
"B"
"E"
"A"
Standing in our midst (Standing in our midst)
"B"
"E"
"A"
Here with the power to heal now (with the power to heal)
"B"
"E"
And the grace to forgive
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