Minor Keys & Borrowed Chords
Every major key has a minor twin
They use the same notes. Only the "home" chord changes.
- C major ↔ A minor
- G major ↔ E minor
A song feels minor when the minor chord is home — where phrases start and rest.
Same chords, different home:
- C – G – Am – F → home is C → sounds major
- Am – F – C – G → home is Am → sounds minor
Minor loops
In minor, the numbers change to match the new home. Try each and write a mood word.
- i – VI – III – VII — Am F C G / Em C G D — Mood: __________
- i – VII – VI – VII — Am G F G / Em D C D — Mood: __________
- i – iv – VI – V — Am Dm F E / Em Am C B — Mood: __________
(In loop 3, the V is major — E instead of Em, B instead of Bm. It pulls hard back to home.)
Minor doesn't just mean sad. It can be mysterious, angry, determined, epic, or hype.
Borrowed chords
A song in major can borrow one chord from the minor key for a flash of color.
| Chord | In C | In G | Feeling | Try this |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iv (minor four) | Fm | Cm | Bittersweet, nostalgic | C – F – Fm – C |
| ♭VII (flat seven) | B♭ | F | Big, rock, triumphant | C – B♭ – F – C |
| ♭VI (flat six) | A♭ | E♭ | Cinematic, heroic | C – A♭ – B♭ – C |
The last one (♭VI – ♭VII – I) is the Mario cadence — it ends the Super Mario Bros. level-complete fanfare.
Rule of thumb: one borrowed chord is color. Three starts to sound like a different key.
Playing them
Letter names (for the chord chart and GarageBand keyboard)
- Fm = F A♭ C
- B♭ = B♭ D F
- A♭ = A♭ C E♭
- E (major) = E G♯ B
Ukulele (G C E A strings, top to bottom)
- Fm = 1013
- B♭ = 3211
- A♭ = 1343
- E = 1402, or the easier E7 = 1202
- Key of G versions: Cm = 0333 · F = 2010 · E♭ = 0331 · B7 = 2322
- Minor loops in A minor: Am 2000 · F 2010 · C 0003 · G 0232 · Dm 2210
Color chords (bonus)
Add a seventh to any chord for a smoother, "lo-fi" or R&B sound (ukulele shapes in brackets):
- Cmaj7 = C E G B [0002]
- Fmaj7 = F A C E [2410]
- Am7 = A C E G [0000]
- Dm7 = D F A C [2213]
My Song 2 progression: ______ – ______ – ______ – ______
Mood I'm going for: __________________
Home chord: ______ (major / minor)