What chords are in a minor key?

In a natural minor key, the chords follow the pattern: i (minor), ii diminished, III major, iv minor, v minor, VI major, VII major. For example, A minor: Am, Bdim, C, Dm, Em, F, G.

How do I find what key a song is in?

The fastest way is to upload the audio to BeatKey at beatkey.app. It detects the key (and BPM) automatically in seconds. Alternatively, listen for the chord that sounds like home - the I chord - and work from there.

What does I, IV, V mean in music?

Roman numerals indicate the scale degree the chord is built on. In C major: I = C (root), IV = F (4th note), V = G (5th note). Uppercase = major chord, lowercase = minor chord. vii = diminished. This notation works across all keys so a I-IV-V progression sounds the same in every key even though the chord names change.

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Q: What chords are in the key of C major?

The chords in C major are: C major (I), D minor (ii), E minor (iii), F major (IV), G major (V), A minor (vi), and B diminished (vii). These seven chords are built on each scale degree and are called diatonic chords.

Complete chord charts for all 12 major and 12 minor keys. Every diatonic chord listed with Roman numeral notation, plus a free tool to detect chords in any song you upload.

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What Are Diatonic Chords?

Every key has 7 chords built from its scale notes. These are called diatonic chords. Each chord is numbered with a Roman numeral based on which scale degree it starts on. Uppercase = major, lowercase = minor, "dim" = diminished.

The pattern is the same in every major key: I ii iii IV V vi vii° (major, minor, minor, major, major, minor, diminished). In minor keys: i ii° III iv v VI VII.

Degree	Quality (Major/Minor key)	Role	What It Does
I (i)	Major (minor)	Tonic	Home base. The chord the key is named after. Sounds stable and resolved.
ii (iidim)	Minor (diminished)	Supertonic	Moves naturally to V. Adds tension, used as a passing chord.
iii (III)	Minor (major)	Mediant	Less common, but creates interesting color. Often used as a passing chord.
IV (iv)	Major (minor)	Subdominant	The second most stable chord. Lifts the energy, creates motion away from I.
V (v)	Major (minor)	Dominant	The tension chord. Wants to resolve back to I. The backbone of harmonic movement.
vi (VI)	Minor (major)	Submediant	The relative minor/major. Often used as an emotional substitute for I.
vii (VII)	Diminished (major)	Leading tone	Creates strong pull back to I. Used as a passing chord or to add dissonance.

All 12 Major Keys

Diatonic chords for every major key. Use these to write chord progressions or identify what key a song is in based on the chords you hear.

Key	I	ii	iii	IV	V	vi	vii°
C major	C	Dm	Em	F	G	Am	Bdim
G major	G	Am	Bm	C	D	Em	F#dim
D major	D	Em	F#m	G	A	Bm	C#dim
A major	A	Bm	C#m	D	E	F#m	G#dim
E major	E	F#m	G#m	A	B	C#m	D#dim
B major	B	C#m	D#m	E	F#	G#m	A#dim
F# major	F#	G#m	A#m	B	C#	D#m	E#dim
F major	F	Gm	Am	Bb	C	Dm	Edim
Bb major	Bb	Cm	Dm	Eb	F	Gm	Adim
Eb major	Eb	Fm	Gm	Ab	Bb	Cm	Ddim
Ab major	Ab	Bbm	Cm	Db	Eb	Fm	Gdim
Db major	Db	Ebm	Fm	Gb	Ab	Bbm	Cdim

All 12 Minor Keys

Diatonic chords for every natural minor key. Minor keys follow the pattern: i ii° III iv v VI VII.

Key	i	ii°	III	iv	v	VI	VII
A minor	Am	Bdim	C	Dm	Em	F	G
E minor	Em	F#dim	G	Am	Bm	C	D
B minor	Bm	C#dim	D	Em	F#m	G	A
F# minor	F#m	G#dim	A	Bm	C#m	D	E
C# minor	C#m	D#dim	E	F#m	G#m	A	B
G# minor	G#m	A#dim	B	C#m	D#m	E	F#
D minor	Dm	Edim	F	Gm	Am	Bb	C
G minor	Gm	Adim	Bb	Cm	Dm	Eb	F
C minor	Cm	Ddim	Eb	Fm	Gm	Ab	Bb
F minor	Fm	Gdim	Ab	Bbm	Cm	Db	Eb
Bb minor	Bbm	Cdim	Db	Ebm	Fm	Gb	Ab
Eb minor	Ebm	Fdim	Gb	Abm	Bbm	B	Db

How to Use This Chart

Writing a Chord Progression

Pick a key, then choose chords from that row. Any combination works because all chords share the same scale notes. Start with I, IV, V, and vi for instant results. In G major: G, C, D, Em.

Identifying the Key of a Song

If you already know some chords in a song, find the row in the chart where all those chords appear together. That is the key. Or upload the song to BeatKey for instant key detection.

Sample Flipping

Upload a sample to BeatKey Chord Finder to get the chord progression. Then look up that key in the chart to find what chords will work when you add new elements on top.

Adding Borrowed Chords

Borrow chords from the parallel minor (or major) for emotional color. In C major, adding Ab (borrowed from C minor) creates an unexpected lift. Great for breakdowns and bridge sections.

Most Common Progressions in Practice

These Roman numeral progressions sound great in every key. Find the key row in the chart above and swap in the matching chord names.

I - V - vi - IV Pop, Rock, Country

The most popular progression in Western music. In C major: C G Am F. In G major: G D Em C. Works in almost any genre.

i - VII - VI - VII Rock, EDM, Metal

Andalusian cadence. Feels driving and anthemic. In A minor: Am G F G. Common in EDM builds and rock anthems.

ii - V - I Jazz, Lo-fi, Neo-soul

The core jazz progression. In C major: Dm G C. With 7ths it becomes Dm7 G7 Cmaj7. This progression defines jazz harmony.

i - iv - VII - III R&B, Hip-hop, Trap

Dark minor loop common in trap and R&B production. In D minor: Dm Gm C F. Sounds melancholy with forward momentum.

Detect Chords in Any Song

Now that you know what chords are in a key, use BeatKey Chord Finder to detect the actual chord progression in a song you want to analyze. Upload any MP3, WAV, or FLAC. Everything runs in your browser, nothing uploaded to a server.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What chords are in the key of C major?

C major, D minor, E minor, F major, G major, A minor, B diminished. These are the 7 diatonic chords of C major. The I-IV-V-vi (C G Am F or C F G Am) are the most commonly used.

Can I use any chord from the key in my song?

Yes. All 7 diatonic chords share the same scale notes, so they all sound in tune with each other. You can mix and match freely within a key. You can also borrow chords from other keys for color, but the diatonic chords are your safe starting point.

What is the difference between major and minor keys?

Major keys generally sound bright and happy. Minor keys sound darker and more emotional. Every major key has a relative minor built on its 6th degree (e.g., C major and A minor share the same chords). The chord quality pattern is different: major keys start with a major chord on I, minor keys start with a minor chord on i.

How do I know what key a song is in?

Upload the audio to BeatKey at beatkey.app for instant key detection. If you are working by ear, listen for the chord that sounds like home or resolution. That is usually your I chord, which tells you the key. You can then check this chart to confirm the other chords fit.

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