minor key chord progressions

[pentaking 1]

hey guys;I am just getting into writing my own material,and have figured out the formulae for major keys (ie maj,maj,min,min,maj,dim) but cannot get the right formulae for minor keys----can anyone tell me?

[Jolly McJollyson]

hey guys;I am just getting into writing my own material,and have figured out the formulae for major keys (ie maj,maj,min,min,maj,dim) but cannot get the right formulae for minor keys----can anyone tell me?
umm...That's not the formula for Major keys...

Major is

Maj Min Min Maj Maj Min Dim

Minor is

Min Dim Maj Min Min Maj Maj

However, if you're writing classical, V is always major (unless you're Wagner or somebody) So the Minor chords would be Min Dim Maj Min Maj Maj Maj.

Also, the IV is occasionally major if you're using the melodic minor, which you will be in classical. Common Classical progressions are usually centered around I-V-I cadences.

[pentaking 1]

thanx man;just for the record,I didn't put the exact major formulae--just an example---but thanx anyway for the reply :D

[equator]

Minor is

Min Dim Maj Min Min Maj Maj

Min Dim Maj Min Maj Maj Maj.
Also, the IV is occasionally major if you're using the melodic minor, which you will be in classical. Common Classical progressions are usually centered around I-V-I cadences.
That`s right.
You get those chords when harmonizing the minor scale with triads.
If you wanna include other chords than triads; try harmonizing the scale with seventh chords or nineth chords:
Min7....Dim7....Maj7....Min7....Min7....Maj7....Dom7.
..................or..............................
Min9....Dim7....Maj9....Min9....Min9....Maj9....9

The Harmonic Minor gives you:
Min7....Dim7....Dom+....Dim....+....M....5b

[Jolly McJollyson]

That`s right.
You get those chords when harmonizing the minor scale with triads.
If you wanna include other chords than triads; try harmonizing the scale with seventh chords or nineth chords:
Min7....Dim7....Maj7....Min7....Min7....Maj7....Dom7.
..................or..............................
Min9....Dim7....Maj9....Min9....Min9....Maj9....9

The Harmonic Minor gives you:
Min7....Dim7....Dom+....Dim....+....M....5b
Good thinkin'. 11ths and 13ths are also a few options you should consider, pen. Just be sure they're either in key or work properly as chromatic tones.

[grape nut]

well there are 3 types on minor keys.

melodic minor
harmonic minor
and natural minor

the natural minor is dirived from the relative major so if the relative major was C
C D E F G A B C you would count either 2 steps back for 6 steps forward and you would find that it is A, so the relative minor of C is A so the natural minor of A would be A B C D E F G A (w-h-w-w-h-w-w) the harmonic minor is pretty similar it creates a half step between the 7th note and the root, so in A minor it would go A B C D E F G# A (w-h-w-w-h-w-1 1/2) I don't remember or understand the melodic minor, and it sounds really similar to the major. so I don't use it when I write. to answer your question you would keep the original chords of the relative major for the natural minor, and the G# of 1-1/2 steps I don't know about. I hope that helps.

[equator]

well there are 3 types on minor keys.

melodic minor
harmonic minor
and natural minor

the natural minor is dirived from the relative major so if the relative major was C
C D E F G A B C you would count either 2 steps back for 6 steps forward and you would find that it is A, so the relative minor of C is A so the natural minor of A would be A B C D E F G A (w-h-w-w-h-w-w) the harmonic minor is pretty similar it creates a half step between the 7th note and the root, so in A minor it would go A B C D E F G# A (w-h-w-w-h-w-1 1/2) I don't remember or understand the melodic minor, and it sounds really similar to the major. so I don't use it when I write. to answer your question you would keep the original chords of the relative major for the natural minor, and the G# of 1-1/2 steps I don't know about. I hope that helps.
Almost right.
First of all musicians today no longer use the phrase natural minor, because that implies that you are using natural notes only; and if you play the same scale in other keys you stop using natural notes only. The name for that scale is the minor scale or the Aeolian mode.
Secondly, the "A minor scale" is not derived from the "C major Scale". The parent scale of A minor, is A major, to which you flat the third, sixth and seventh degrees. The A minor scale or the Aeolian mode happens to be related to C major. That`s why it`s called RELATIVE. Right?
Thirdly, you have a half step between the seventh and the octave ,
not the root.
And the melodic minor doesn`t sound similar to the major, the only thing is that you need to know how to play it ascending and descending.
Here is the melodic minor ascending in the key of A:[A-B-C-D-E-F#-G#].
The chords that you would use for the melodic minor are:
Am(M7)
Bm7
Cmaj7b5
D7b5
E7b13
F#1/2dim9
G#Alt

[larryvan]

indigomaj is: maj m m maj maj7 m mhalf'dim. maj(root) with m. progresions i take the maj. scale, make it m. then follow the same sequence its really important to practice your stuff in the correct forms or youll pay in the long run once you understand theory really good! then you can preety much invent your own as long as you know the main structures to everything write and create.