Chords in the Key of G♯ Minor (5 sharps)
G♯ minor is B's relative minor and spends its written life in sharps. G♯m, E, B, F♯ is the kit. Piano charts may call it A♭ minor, guitar charts won't.
The seven chords
| Degree | Chord | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| i | G♯m | minor |
| ii° | A♯ dim | diminished |
| III | B | major |
| iv | C♯m | minor |
| v | D♯m | minor |
| VI | E | major |
| VII | F♯ | major |
G♯m, C♯m, and D♯m are the minors, B, E, and F♯ the majors, A♯ diminished mostly skipped. The v often turns major, D♯7, when the song wants a harder pull home. That raised note is harmonic minor at work.
Common progressions
G♯m, E, F♯. Rock's minor lane, Zeppelin through grunge.
G♯m, C♯m, D♯7. The minor cadence with the major V pulling it home.
Scales to solo with
G♯ minor pentatonic is the default lead scale, and the G♯ blues scale adds the ♭5. B major pentatonic is the same five notes from the relative major side.
Keep exploring
Relative major
Parallel major
Neighbor keys, one accidental away
Key of G♯ Minor FAQ
What chords are in the key of G♯ minor?
G♯m, A♯ diminished, B, C♯m, D♯m, E, and F♯. In practice the v is often played major or as D♯7 for a stronger pull back to G♯m.
What is the relative major of G♯ minor?
B major. Same key signature, same seven chords, with B treated as home.
Why does G♯ minor use D♯7 if it isn't in the key?
The natural minor's v chord is D♯m, and it pulls home gently. Raising its third turns it into D♯7, which pulls to G♯m much harder. That raised note comes from the harmonic minor scale, and cadences borrowed it so often it became the default.