What are the primary (or most common) chords of the minor scale?
I'm trying to figure out what chords appear most often in minor scales, in major scales it's easy: the I IV and V, it's not even a question. You can harmonize almost any major song with just these chords.
But what would you say are the primary chords in the minor scale . I looked it up and most are saying the i iv v (since minor notes are supposed to function just like in the major scale).
But in practice I dont find this is the case. In natural minor the "v" doesn't have a strong resolve to the "i". and most songs I played don't really use the v. one thing I noticed is that songs tend to use the VII quite alot. (I'm talking chords here).
So if the primary chords in major are I IV V, what are the minor equivalent?
I'm not necessarily talking strict theory I'm talking about practicality and what appears the most in songs from your experience. currently I'm leaning towards the I IV VII but I am still researching this.
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'Primary triad' is a term from Common Practice functional harmony, where dominant chords lead to tonic chords and leading notes rise to tonic notes. So, although minor tonic and subdominant chords don't buck this system, if we're talking about 'primary triads', V is going to be major. The answer to your question is i, iv, V.
Yes, some minor modes have a minor V (or rather v) chord. But we're now in a world where 'primary triad' isn't a useful idea. In C minor, the G chord, including the leading note, B nat, has a powerful function. G minor chord, not so much.
It's still 1, 4 and 5, but with a subtle change. i and iv are standard, but v can be V. In Am, for example, i=ACE, iv=DFA, and v=EGB. V=EG#B sometimes, as in the harmonic and melodic minor scales, G# features, whereas in natural minor (and descending classical melodic) minor, there's Gnat.
It's unusual to call the chords with reference to the relative major, as in vi, ii, and either iii or III.
In classical harmony, things are very clear. The main triads are in I, IV, and V degrees. There are three types of moles: natural, harmonious and melodic:
natural (a-c-e minor) iv (d-f-a minor) v (e-g-h minor)
(a-c-e,minor) iv (d-f-a minor) V (e-G-h major)
melodic: a: i (a-c-e minor) IV (d- # F-a major) V (e- # G-h)
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