D major’s relative minor is B minor. It shares the same key signature with D major, which has two sharps (F# and C#). The notes in D major (D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#) and B minor (B, C#, D, E, F#, G, A) are closely related, with the latter being the minor form of the former. The parallel minor of D major is also B minor, meaning they have the same root note. These three entities—D major, B minor (relative minor), and B minor (parallel minor)—form a closely related set of keys.
D Major Relative Minor
The relative minor of D major is B minor. This means that B minor shares the same key signature as D major, which is two sharps (F# and C#). However, the tonic (or “home”) note of B minor is B, while the tonic of D major is D.
Scale and Intervals
The B minor scale consists of the following notes:
- B (tonic)
- C# (supertonic)
- D (mediant)
- E (subdominant)
- F# (dominant)
- G (submediant)
- A (leading tone)
The intervals between these notes are as follows:
| Interval | Size |
|---|---|
| B – C# | minor 2nd |
| C# – D | major 2nd |
| D – E | minor 3rd |
| E – F# | major 3rd |
| F# – G | perfect 4th |
| G – A | augmented 4th |
| A – B | major 2nd |
Chords
The three primary chords in the key of B minor are:
- B minor triad: B, D, F#
- D minor 7th chord: D, F#, A, C#
- F#7 chord: F#, A, C#, E
Other common chords in B minor include:
- G major triad: G, B, D
- C major triad: C, E, G
- A minor 7th chord: A, C#, E, G
Cadences
Common cadences in B minor include:
- Authentic cadence: B minor – F#7 – B minor
- Plagal cadence: B minor – G major – B minor
- Half cadence: B minor – F#7
Uses in Music
B minor is a commonly used key in classical, jazz, and popular music. It is often associated with sadness, melancholy, and introspection. Some famous pieces of music written in B minor include:
- Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 by Ludwig van Beethoven
- Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy
- Sonata in B minor for Piano, Op. 58 by Frédéric Chopin
- Blackbird by The Beatles
- Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen
Question 1:
What is the relative minor of D major?
Answer:
The relative minor of D major is B minor.
Question 2:
How is the relative minor of a major key determined?
Answer:
The relative minor of a major key is the minor key that shares the same key signature.
Question 3:
What is the relationship between the relative minor and its parallel minor?
Answer:
The relative minor and its parallel minor share the same tonic note, but the relative minor has a major third while the parallel minor has a minor third.
I hope this article has helped you understand the relationship between D major and B minor. These two keys are closely linked, and understanding their relationship can help you write and understand music better. Thanks for reading, and be sure to visit again later for more music theory goodness!