Piano · Level 2 · First steps
Minor chords in a major key in D♭ major on Piano
Don’t just read about Minor chords in a major key in D♭ major. Play it.
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Every major key contains three minor chords, on its second, third and sixth notes. Learning them gives you the darker colours that make a progression more interesting.
B♭m
Notes: B♭ · D♭ · F
E♭m
Notes: E♭ · G♭ · B♭
Fm
Notes: F · A♭ · C
HOW TO PRACTISE IT
Six steps to a clean loop.
- Play each chord on its own: B♭m, E♭m and Fm. Press play on the chord card, then match the sound.
- Keep the right hand curved over the keys and move it as one unit between chords.
- Set the tempo to 48 BPM and play the progression with one chord per bar. Compare each minor chord with its major neighbour: listen for the one note that changes.
- Play the left-hand bass note on beat one and the right-hand chord on every beat.
- Raise the tempo to 64 BPM once you can play the loop three times without stopping.
- Record one take, listen back and check for the softer, darker sound of the minor third.
Listen for
Aim for the softer, darker sound of the minor third. A common mistake is muting the middle note that makes the chord minor.
Why it works
The chords ii, iii and vi are minor because the third above each root is three semitones, not four.
D♭ major has 5 flats; its relative minor key is B♭ minor.
Questions
What are the chords in vi–ii–iii–vi in D♭ major?
In D♭ major the progression is B♭m | E♭m | Fm | B♭m.
What is the key signature of D♭ major?
D♭ major has 5 flats. Its relative minor is B♭ minor.
Is this lesson right for my level?
This is a level 2 lesson (first steps). If it feels too hard, start with “Switching between two chords”.
Your hands learn faster than your eyes.
Reading a chord chart is step one. Play it to a metronome, record it, and hear yourself get better, all in one app.
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