playing,2,3 and 6 in minor key

[Delvin Morgan]

I don't play minor keys very much,if ever. I play HotRS, but is that in a minor key? Anyway, when you play, lets say Am, the 4 is Dm and 5 is E7. What are the 2,3 and 6, would they be major chords? As apposed to minor when a major key is played.

Just wondering

[Earnest Bovine]

A minor is a good key to learn the minor scale since all the notes are white keys on the piano.
Yes, 3 and 6 are major chords in a minor key. A good example from popular music is The House Of The Rising Sun, usually played in A minor, where the chords are 1 3 4 6.

The 2 or ii chord is a diminished triad BDF. Often you would hear people play the ii7 which is BDFA, called half diminished, which usually resolves to 5 (E7) then 1 (Am).

Sometimes you hear Bm (including F#, not F natural) used as a 2 chord in Am; for example vamping on Van Morrison's Moondance. This would be more of a Dorian (rather than Aolian) mode approach to the minor key.

[Mark van Allen]

Hi, Delvin, it's a somewhat complicated question, because while there is really only one major scale type (that yields the harmonized scale of 1M7 2m7 3m7 4M7 57 6m7 7m7b5) there are several minor possibilities.
Although some minor tunes use harmonizations of exotic modes, I think most minor key tunes can be found based on one of three scales: the natural minor, melodic minor, or harmonic minor. (The natural minor is the "relative" to the major, ie; C major is the same spelling and key signature as A natural minor.)
The differences in the three lie in the 6th and 7th degrees, natural minor being spelled 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7 8, melodic 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 8 and harmonic 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7 8. Those differences alter what chords are in a "minor key" based on those scales.

Working out the chordal harmony from those scales:
Natural: 1m7 2m7b5 3M7 4m7 5m7 6M7 7dom7
Melodic: 1m7 2m7 3M7#5 4dom7 5dom7 6m7b5 7m7b5
Harmonic: 1m7 2m7b5 3M7#5 4m7 5dom7b9 6M7 7dim7

Removing the extensions to spell triads:
Natural: 1m 2mb5 3 4m 5m 6 7(dom7)
Melodic: 1m 2m 3M#5 47 57 6mb5 7mb5
Harmonic: 1m 2mb5 3M#5 4m 57 6 7mb5

You can see how your progression and many similar songs ("The Thrill Is Gone") can be thought of as being from the Melodic (or more probably) the Harmonic minor. You would have to analyze the melody to see which scale it fits best.
Some songs (like "We Three Kings") lie more within the natural minor harmonies.
Some move between minor and major tonalities, further confusing the issue.
There's a lot going on with minor keys!

[Mark van Allen]

TMI?

[Ken Pippus]

Mark:
Probably TMI, but very nicely and lucidly presented.

KP

[Delvin Morgan]

I did not realize House of the Rising Sun was in the a minor key, because of the major4 and not minor4. I just thought in was the key of C, with a vi in it. Learn something everyday.

[Bo Borland]

NOT TMI .. nice MVA and EB