Triads in Minor Keys 4: Putting it all Together

In this video, Dr. Anthony Fesmire summarizes the diatonic triads found in minor keys. This video is part of a hybrid Music Theory I class taught at College of the Desert. Video Text Now that we have determined the various chord types that come from natural, harmonic, and melodic minor, let’s create a chart the compares the chords from each scale. We will then identify the most common chords found in minor keys. For this chart, we have the position of each chord in the scale listed on the left hand column in Arabic numerals. Over the top of the chart, we have the names of the three minor scales. We will fill in the remainder of the chart with the roman numerals for natural, harmonic, and melodic minor. Let’s begin with natural minor. Here we have the A natural minor scale with the corresponding chord names and roman numerals. On the chart, I will write a lowercase i in the 1 column; a iio symbol in the 2 column, and uppercase III in the 3, column, and lowercase iv in the 4 column, and continue until I have all of the chord types from natural minor. Moving on to harmonic minor. Here we have the A harmonic minor scale with the corresponding chord names and roman numerals. On the chart, I will write a lowercase i in the 1 column; a iio symbol in the 2 column, an augmented III+ in the 3 column, a lowercase iv in the 4 column, an uppercase V in the 5 column, and continue until I have all of the chord types from harmonic minor. Moving on to melodic minor. Here we have the ascending A melodic minor scale with the corresponding chord names and roman numerals. It is not necessary to include the descending melodic minor because it is the same as natural minor. On the chart, I will write a lowercase i in the 1 column; a minor ii symbol in the 2 column, an augmented III+ in the 3 column, a major IV in the 4 column, and major V in the 5, a #vio in the 6 column, and finish with the viio in the 7 column. Now that we have completed the chart with all of the possible chords in minor. Which are the most common? All of the chord types are possible under the right circumstance. Our focus at this time is on the tonal music of the common practice period as well as standard jazz composition; but these tendencies are used throughout popular music as well. Tonal music consists of progressions of chords that lead strongly to a resolution on the i (I) chord; this is true in major and minor keys. In tonal music, the majority of the common chords come from harmonic minor. The term “harmonic” refers to “harmony” which is a synonym for “chord”. While the term “melodic” in the melodic minor scale refers to “melody”. In tonal music, chords are generally derived from harmonic minor while melody is generally derived from melodic minor. The most common chords in a minor key are i, iio, III (augmented chords are not commonly used in chord progressions), iv, V, VI, viio.