A minor facts for kids
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| Relative key | C major | |
|---|---|---|
| Parallel key | A major | |
| Notes in this scale | ||
| A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A | ||
A minor (often called Am) is a type of minor scale that starts on the note A. Think of a scale as a musical ladder of notes. The A minor scale uses the notes A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and then A again.
One special version is the harmonic minor scale. In this scale, the G note is raised to a G sharp. A sharp sign (#) means to play a note a little higher.
A minor is special because its key signature has no sharps or flats. This means you don't see any # or ♭ symbols at the start of the music.
A minor is closely related to C major. C major is called its relative major. This means they share the same notes. You can play both the A minor and C major scales on a piano using only the white keys!
A minor also has a parallel major, which is A major. This means both scales start on the same note (A) but sound different.
Sometimes, musicians use special symbols called accidentals to change a note for a short time. This happens when playing different versions of the A minor scale, like the melodic or harmonic versions.
What is a Musical Key?
A musical key is like a home base for a song. It tells you which notes fit well together and gives the music a certain feeling. A minor often sounds a bit sad or serious.
Famous Music in A Minor
Many famous composers have written beautiful pieces in the key of A minor. Here are some well-known examples:
- Violin Concerto in A minor by Johann Sebastian Bach
- Piano Sonata in A minor, K. 310 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Bagatelle in A minor "Für Elise" by Ludwig van Beethoven
- Violin Sonata No. 4 Op.23 by Ludwig van Beethoven
- String Quartet No. 15 Op.132 by Ludwig van Beethoven
- Caprice No. 24 (Paganini) by Niccolò Paganini
- Prelude #2 in A minor, Op. 28 #2 by Frédéric Chopin
- Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54 by Robert Schumann
- Variations on a Theme by Paganini, Op. 35 by Johannes Brahms
- Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16 by Edvard Grieg
- Oboe Concerto in A Minor by Ralph Vaughan Williams
- Symphony No. 6 by Gustav Mahler
- Symphony No. 4 by Jean Sibelius
- Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini by Sergei Rachmaninoff
See also
In Spanish: La menor para niños
