Guitar Chords in A Minor

This lesson shows you the guitar chords in A minor in the Natural, Harmonic, and Melodic forms.

A Natural minor is the same tones and key signature as the key of C major. The difference is that rather than C being the I chord, Am is the i (minor one chord). Am is the vi in C, and is C's relative minor (relative, natural, and pure - can mean the same thing).

When Am is 'renamed' the tonic (the one chord), all of the other chords are renumbered as well. Let's take a look.

The Major Keys: C G D A E B F# Gb Db Ab Eb Bb F

What about the Harmonic minor?

When we play in minor keys, we use material from 3 different forms (or modes) of the minor. First, is the Natural minor. It has 7 tones, 7 chords (and 7 modes), but all of these are the same as the relative Major.

The Natural minor makes it impossible to tonify - make the minor tonic the home in the ear - the tonic as a tonic.

Why? Because we are simply using the tones of the Major key. And, those tones tonify the Major tonic, not the vi chord (which is what we've 'renamed' as the tonic in minor).

So, what do we do? We create a leading tone. The leading tone to an A is G# (so we raise the 7 from the pure or relative minor). This creates a leaning into A as the tonic. Along with the D, we have the makings (the tritone) of a key center with A being the tonic.

This also makes the V chord a Major chord (and a dominant when 7th is added). This is important in harmony. It creates finality and magnetizes the ear to the tonic chord. Thus, the name of this minor mode is harmonic minor. Harmony is more progressive and strong with a leading tone in the scale (and consequently a Major V chord - the middle tone).

• Practice the chords and scales from these forms of the minor.
• Play both scales and compare the sounds.
• Record the chord scales.
• Practice being melodic against them. Listen to each mode and hear the difference.

The gap between the 6th and 7th degress of the harmonic minor produces a very distinct and memorable sound.

Isn't there something called the Melodic minor?

Yes, it is the '3rd form' of the minor, and is called Melodic minor (the melody minor - even though both other forms can be used melodically as well).

Together the 3 modes or forms create a large family of chords, modes, and sounds that we call the minor key.

Let's compare all 3 forms of the minor scales (keys) to the Major scale. When we do this, it is called paralleling.

Next, here are the triads and scale in first position for A Melodic minor.

What is the +?

The plus sign (+)= augmented = #5.

The total group of guitar chords in A minor ('the key of A minor' - includes all forms):

• i = Am
• iio= Bo, ii = Bm
• III = C, III+ = C+ (C Augmented)
• iv = Dm, IV = D
• v = Em, V = E
• bVI = F, vio = F#o
• bVII = G, viio = G#dim (G#o)

Keep in mind, these are just the triads. The family expands when we create 7ths and extended chords.

Another view of guitar chords in A minor triads

7th chords in minor keys