Chords in the key of B minor
The key of B minor has seven diatonic chords: BmBmBmBm, C#°, D, EmEmEmEm, F#mF#mF#mF#m, G and A. As sevenths: Bm7Bm7Bm7Bm7, C#m7b5, Dmaj7Dmaj7Dmaj7Dmaj7, Em7Em7Em7Em7, F#m7F#m7F#m7F#m7, Gmaj7Gmaj7Gmaj7Gmaj7 and A7A7A7A7. They come from the B natural minor scale, B, C#, D, E, F#, G and A, 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: B – C# – D – E – F# – G – A| Degree | Triad | Seventh | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| i | BmBmBmBm | Bm7Bm7Bm7Bm7 | tonic |
| ii° | C#° | C#m7b5 | subdominant |
| III | DDDD | Dmaj7Dmaj7Dmaj7Dmaj7 | tonic |
| iv | EmEmEmEm | Em7Em7Em7Em7 | subdominant |
| v | F#mF#mF#mF#m | F#m7F#m7F#m7F#m7 | dominant |
| VI | GGGG | Gmaj7Gmaj7Gmaj7Gmaj7 | subdominant |
| VII | AAAA | A7A7A7A7 | 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.