Relative Major and Minor keys

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All major keys have a relative minor key.

Relative keys share the same key signature as each other.

The relative minor key is based on the sixth note of its relative major key.

Examples:

Key of C major (no #s no bs) move up 6 notes - C D E F G A

Relative minor = Key of A minor (no #s no bs).

Key of D major (F#,C#) move up six notes - D E F# G A B

Relative minor = Key of B minor (F#,C#)

A useful application of this is in choosing scales with which to improvise over certain keys.

It's worth remembering that:

The C major scale - C D E F G A B - contains the same notes as
the A natural minor scale - A B C D E F G - similarly:

The C major pentatonic scale - C D E G A - shares its notes with
the A minor pentatonic scale - A C D E G - and
The C Country scale - C D Eb E G A contains the same notes as
the A blues scale - A C D Eb E G

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