Parallel key
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In music, the parallel minor or tonic minor of a particular major key is the minor key with the same tonic; similarly the parallel major of a minor key has the same tonic. For example, G major and G minor have different modes but both have the same tonic, G; so we say that G minor is the parallel minor of G major.
In the early nineteenth century, composers (notably Robert Schumann) began to experiment with freely borrowing chords from the parallel key.
To the Western ear, the switch from a major key to its parallel minor sounds like a fairly simplistic "saddening" of the mood. It sounds quite unlike the switch to the relative minor.
[edit] Calculating the key signature of the parallel major or minor of a key
- To find the parallel minor of a key, add 3 flats to the key signature.
- For example, F major has 1 flat (B). Adding 3 flats would yield 4 flats, meaning F minor has 4 flats in its key signature (B E A D).
- B major has 5 sharps (F C G D A). To find B minor, add 3 flats. Since flats cancel out sharps, one is left with 2 sharps (F C).
- To find the parallel major, add 3 sharps.
- Em to EM: Em has 1 sharp (F). Add 3 to get 4 sharps (F C G D).
- Fm to FM: Fm has 4 flats (B E A D). Add 3 sharps to get 1 flat (B).
