Twelve shades of lament, from tenderness to blackest depression.
Overview
The twelve minor keys, one note apiece. Each carries Christian Schubart's 1806 characterization (in Rita Steblin's translation), its key signature, and its relative major — the affective map explained in Musical Keys. Where Schubart's majors range widely, his minors stay close to sorrow, running from the pious tenderness of A to the brooding despair of D♯.
| Key | Signature | Relative Major |
|---|---|---|
| C Minor | 3 flats | E♭ Major |
| C♯ Minor | 4 sharps | E Major |
| D Minor | 1 flat | F Major |
| D♯ Minor | 6 sharps | F♯ Major |
| E Minor | 1 sharp | G Major |
| F Minor | 4 flats | A♭ Major |
| F♯ Minor | 3 sharps | A Major |
| G Minor | 2 flats | B♭ Major |
| A♭ Minor | 7 flats | B Major |
| A Minor | no sharps or flats | C Major |
| B♭ Minor | 5 flats | D♭ Major |
| B Minor | 2 sharps | D Major |
Related
- Musical Keys — the parent index and the story of affective key characteristics
- Major — the twelve major keys