Guitar theory
Learn relative major and minor on guitar through shared chord families, tonal centers, common progressions, and minor-first songwriting choices.
Use the concept as a practical way to choose, move, or revise chords.
Relative major and minor keys use the same notes and chords but make a different chord feel like home. C major and A minor share the same chord family, but C-G-Am-F feels major while Am-F-C-G can feel centered on A minor.
This is why vi-IV-I-V can be described as a major-key loop or as i-bVI-bIII-bVII in the relative minor. On guitar, the best label is the one that matches where the riff, vocal, and bass feel resolved.
| Concept | Guitar meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| C major | A minor | C Dm Em F G Am Bdim |
| G major | E minor | G Am Bm C D Em F#dim |
| D major | B minor | D Em F#m G A Bm C#dim |
Keep the example small enough that your ear can identify the concept.
Open a related progression, change one chord or voicing, and listen for the theory in context.
Short answers for players using this page as a practice or writing reference.
Relative major and minor keys use the same notes and chords but make a different chord feel like home. C major and A minor share the same chord family, but C-G-Am-F feels major while Am-F-C-G can feel centered on A minor.
Choose one short progression, play it slowly with clean voicings, then name the chord function before moving to another key.
No. Hear it in a progression, play it in one key, then use the name to move the idea elsewhere.
Yes. Open a related progression in StrumForge, change key or voicing, and listen for the specific function described on this page.
