![]() The notes are identical but they are disposed in a different order. Having said that, let me invite you to take a look again at the two scales.Īnalyze the notes included in the scale of C major and then compare them with those forming the A minor scale.īoth scales are built using the exact same set of pitches. Relationship between C major and A minor: the concept of relative keys However, in C major, the half-step intervals are the third and seventh in the scale of A minor, the two half-step intervals are, instead, the second and fifth. In fact, when you play C major, you start with C and end with C on the other hand, performing the scale of A minor means, needless to say, that you start playing the note A and conclude the sequence once you reach the note A positioned one octave above.Ī more subtle distinction between the two scales can be found in the internal disposition of whole and half steps.Īs explained in the previous section of this article, there are two half-step intervals both in the C major scale and the A minor scale. ![]() The first difference between the scale of C major and the A minor scale is pretty obvious and lies in the starting and ending notes. When it comes to playing the A minor scale you have to perform a different sequence of notes:Īs a result, you create a specific set of whole steps and half steps:ĭifference between C major scale and A minor scale When you organize the notes in this way, you create an ordered set of whole steps and half steps: If you want to play the C major scale you have to perform the following sequence of notes: The chord of C major presents a minor third, as you would expect, whereas the chord of A minor showcases a perfect fourth as a result of the fact that is written in its first inversion. The difference between the two arises when you analyze the other two intervals: ![]() If we keep in mind that a given chord can be presented using either its root position or its inversions, you can find yourself in a situation like this:Īs you can see, comparing the two chords, the first two notes and intervals are identical: two C-s and two major thirds ( C – E). However, this criterion of differentiation based on the order of the intervals deserves a clarification. The other significant difference is that C major, in its root position, results from the combination of 1 major third followed by 1 minor third the chord of A minor, in its root position, is formed by 1 minor third followed by 1 major third. Speaking of chords, the difference between C major and A minor lies in the typology of notes combined and their mutual disposition in terms of intervals.Īs you may have noticed, the chords of C major and A minor differ from each other for one note: C major presents the note G which is absent in A minor and the chord of A minor contains the note A which is not part of C major. The distance between A and C is equal to a minor third (1 half step and 1 whole step) while the distance between C and E is equal to a major third (2 whole steps).ĭifference between C major chord and A minor chord The A minor chord, for its part, is obtained by playing another set of three notes: The distance (also known as interval) between C and E is equal to a major third (2 whole steps) while the distance between E and G is equal to a minor third (1 half step and 1 whole step). The C major chord is created by playing these three notes simultaneously: If you love music and are interested in understanding its building blocks, then it’s important for you to find an answer to these questions.īefore we dive into the analysis of the main differences between C major and A minor, I think it’s useful to step back and do a brief recap of how these two chords are made, their intervals and relative scales. What do music theorists mean when they say there is a relationship between C major and A minor? How can I tell the difference between C major and A minor in terms of chords and scales?
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