Julie Swihart

Minor Key Chords

Let’s find all the chords for the key of A sharp minor on the piano. We can use these chords to create chord progressions and play creatively in that key!

How to Find Chords for the Key of A Sharp Minor

To find chords for the key of A sharp minor, we’ll first need to build an A sharp minor scale.

There are different kinds of minor scales, so let’s start with the natural minor scale. Natural minor scales each have a relative major scale on the piano. This means these two scales use the same notes to build their scales, but start and end on different notes.

A sharp minor is relative to C sharp major, so these two scales use the same notes to build their scales, but start and end on different notes. Since the notes in a scale are used to build the chords for that key, these two scales also share the same chords, just in a different order.

Here are the notes for an A sharp natural minor scale:

A♯ – B♯ – C♯ – D♯ – E♯ – F♯ – G♯ – A♯

Now we’ll start building a “1 – 3 – 5” chord off each note of the scale, using only the notes of the scale to build the chords.

We’ll start on A♯ and build a “1 – 3 – 5” chord, using only the notes of the scale. When we do, we get: A♯ – C♯ – E♯

Then we’ll start on B♯ and build another “1 – 3 – 5” chord, using the notes of the scale. When we do, we get: B♯ – D♯ – F♯

Next we’ll start on C♯ and build another “1 – 3 – 5” chord, using the notes of the scale. When we do, we get: C♯ – E♯ – G♯

We can continue following this pattern, building a “1 – 3 – 5” chord (also called a “triad”) off each note of the scale, and using only the notes of the scale to build the chords.

Chords for Minor Keys Printable

Learn the chords for each minor key with this 40-page PDF! Chords are built with both the natural minor and harmonic minor scales.

Get the Printable

Chords for the Key of A Sharp Minor

Here are the chords for the key of A sharp minor:

A♯ – C♯ – E♯ = A♯ minor chord

B♯ – D♯ – F♯ = B♯ diminished chord

C♯ – E♯ – G♯ = C♯ major chord

D♯ – F♯ – A♯ = D♯ minor chord

E♯ – G♯ – B♯ = E♯ minor chord

F♯ – A♯ – C♯ = F♯ major chord

G♯ – B♯ – D♯ = G♯ major chord

How Do We Label the Chords?

You may be wondering how we can tell the difference between major, minor, and diminished chords. It all depends on the intervals used to build the chords (learn about intervals here).

But to summarize, there are actually four types of “1 – 3 – 5” chords, or triads:

Major
Minor
Augmented
Diminished

Major chords are built with the first, third and fifth notes of the matching major scale.

Minor chords are built with the first, third and fifth notes of the matching major scale, but the middle note is lowered 1/2 step.

Augmented chords are built with the first, third and fifth notes of the matching major scale, but the third and fifth notes are raised 1/2 step.

Diminished chords are built with the first, third and fifth notes of the matching major scale, but the third and fifth notes are lowered 1/2 step.

When we build a “1 – 3 – 5” chord off each note of a natural minor scale, using only the notes of the scale to build the chords, we’ll always get these chord types in this order:

Minor
Diminished
Major
Minor
Minor
Major
Major

We can use this pattern to find the chords for other minor keys!

Primary Chords for A Sharp Minor

Each minor key has three “primary” chords built off the first, fourth and fifth notes of the scale. Primary chords are used frequently in songs.

The primary chords for the key of A sharp minor are:

A♯ minor
D♯ minor
E♯ minor

How to Find Chords for A Sharp Minor Using the Harmonic Minor Scale

Now let’s find chords for A sharp minor using the harmonic minor scale.

Harmonic minor scales are similar to natural minor scales, except the seventh note is raised 1/2 step.

Here are the notes for an A sharp harmonic minor scale:

A♯ – B♯ – C♯ – D♯ – E♯ – F♯ – G♯♯ – A♯

If you’re wondering why we label one of the notes G♯♯, it’s because scales must progress in alphabetical order. Since the note before the G♯♯ is an F♯, the note that follows must be some sort of G.

Now we’ll build a “1 – 3 – 5” chord off each note of the harmonic minor scale, using only the notes of the scale to build the chords as before.

Chords for A Sharp Minor Using the Harmonic Minor Scale

Here are the chords for A sharp minor when we use the harmonic minor scale:

A♯ – C♯ – E♯ = A♯ minor chord

B♯ – D♯ – F♯ = B♯ diminished chord

C♯ – E♯ – G♯♯ = C♯ augmented chord

D♯ – F♯ – A♯ = D♯ minor chord

E♯ – G♯♯ – B♯ = E♯ major chord

F♯ – A♯ – C♯ = F♯ major chord

G♯♯ – B♯ – D♯ = G♯♯ diminished chord

Labeling the Chords

When we build a “1 – 3 – 5” chord off each note of a harmonic minor scale, we’ll always get these chord types in this order:

Minor
Diminished
Augmented
Minor
Major
Major
Diminished

Primary Chords for A Sharp Minor Using the Harmonic Minor Scale

The primary chords for A sharp minor, using the harmonic minor scale to build the chords, are:

A♯ minor
D♯ minor
E♯ major

When we use the harmonic minor scale instead of the natural minor scale to build the chords, the third primary chord becomes major instead of minor, creating some nice contrast.

Conclusion

Now you know how to find chords for the key of A sharp minor on the piano, and you can use those chords to create chord progressions and play creatively in that key!

Minor keys are really enjoyable to use when playing creatively at the piano, and work well for more somber and introspective moods.