Chords in the key of A minor
The key of A minor has seven diatonic chords: Am, B°, C, DmDmDmDm, EmEmEmEm, F and G. As sevenths: Am7Am7Am7Am7, Bm7b5, Cmaj7Cmaj7Cmaj7Cmaj7, Dm7Dm7Dm7Dm7, Em7Em7Em7Em7, Fmaj7Fmaj7Fmaj7Fmaj7 and G7G7G7G7. They come from the A natural minor scale, A, B, C, D, E, F and G, one on each note.
The table shows each chord in two versions: the triad (the three-note chord) and the seventh chord (the same chord with a fourth note, the seventh, that enriches it).
Notes: A – B – C – D – E – F – G| Degree | Triad | Seventh | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| i | AmAmAmAm | Am7Am7Am7Am7 | tonic |
| ii° | B° | Bm7b5 | subdominant |
| III | CCCC | Cmaj7Cmaj7Cmaj7Cmaj7 | tonic |
| iv | DmDmDmDm | Dm7Dm7Dm7Dm7 | subdominant |
| v | EmEmEmEm | Em7Em7Em7Em7 | dominant |
| VI | FFFF | Fmaj7Fmaj7Fmaj7Fmaj7 | subdominant |
| VII | GGGG | G7G7G7G7 | subdominant |
The roman numerals mark the chord's position in the scale: I is the first degree, V the fifth. Uppercase = major chord; lowercase = minor; ° = diminished.
Tonic chords stabilize and rest; subdominant chords prepare motion; dominant chords build the tension that asks for resolution.
These are the chords of the natural minor scale. In practice the v often becomes V (major) or V7, borrowed from the harmonic minor, to create the leading tone that pulls back to the tonic.