In a previous tutorial, I described the relative minor to any Major scale, by simply going down 3 half steps (3 frets).

The notes of the Relative Minor scale are the same as it's relative Major.

For example, the notes of a C Major Scale are: C-D-E-F-G-A-B.

C Major's relative minor is Am, and the notes of A minor scale are: A-B-C-D-E-F-G.

 

They are the same notes, just with a different starting point. C Major starts on C. Am starts on A.

 

Each Major chord in a scale also has a relative minor. Unfortunately, all the notes of the relative minor chord are not the same.

Relative Minor chords share 2 notes with the Major chord it was derived from.

 

For example: A C Major chord (1-3-5) is made with the notes: C-E-G.

An Am Chord (1-b3-5) is made with these notes: A-C-E

 

Many songs have been written using the 1 - 4 - 5 progression.

So many songs use this progression that we hear it and immediately know we've heard it before.

You want your song to sound original, and not be so predictable, so that the user feels like it's too familiar.

 

As shown using the L method, 1, 4, and 5 are all Major Chords.

Relative Minor chords can be substituted for Major Chords in a song.

Since they share 2 notes with the Major Chord, they might sound somewhat familiar,

but there is something different about it. For one, it's a Minor chord.

It will give your progression a little extra "spice".

 

If you use the Relative Minor all the time, all you've done was change the progression.

In the previous example, I mentioned the 1 - 4 - 5 progression.

Let's use the 1 - 4 - 5 progression in A Major.

 

The progression would be A(root) - D(4th) - E(5th)

If you play this progression, you will hear that there are tons of songs that use it.

If you use it, as is, it will take something away from your song's originality.

It will seem bland. So, we try to add some spice to it, by using Relative Minor chords.

 

As stated above, if you substitute the Relative Minor all the time, you've changed the progression.

To spice up a progression, you can play through the progression once, then simply substitute one of

the Major chords with it's Relative Minor the next time around.

 

Here is a basic A-D-E progression. First Clean.

 

 

Now with gain.

 

 

Here is the same A-D-E progression the first time around. On the second time around, I substitute C# for the E Major.

The next time I play the A-D-E again, then I go to F#m (relative minor of A), Bm (Relative Minor of D), to E. First clean.

 

 

Now with gain.

 

 

As you can hear, it changes the sound of the progression. Yes, I am changing the chords (obviously),

but since the Relative Minor chords share 2 notes with the Major, you can tell they're related.

 

This was a quick demonstration on how to spice up your basic progressions by substituting chords for their relative minor.

 

Another thing that you might have already realized is that this works the opposite way also.

If you have a Minor Chord, you can substitute it's Relative Major Chord to spice things up.

 

Remember to change it up to "spice up" your progressions.

It's also a great tool to discover new chord progressions.

Maybe, instead of A - D - E, you like the F#m - Bm - C#m progression.

Adding a Relative Minor (or Relative Major) can help transform a boring progression.