parallel key

Definition: Parallel keys are major and minor keys that share the same keynote. G major and G minor are parallel keys, as are F# major and F# minor, etc. (Not to be confused with relative keys.)

Parallel scales have the same order of note letters, and are nearly identical in pitch except for three notes:

• D Major:   D   -   E   -   F#  -  G   -   A   -   B   -   C#
• D minor:   D   -   E   -   F    -  G   -   A   -  Bb  -   C

So, the D minor scale could be interpreted as D Major with a flattened third, sixth, and seventh.

Comparing Parallel Scales

If you listen to parallel scales back-to-back, you can easily hear the difference between the major and minor moods:

• Compare: ♫ G major and G minor scales

The same can be observed in parallel chords (or “parallel tonic” chords):

• Ab Maj chord (♫ listen):   A♭ -  C   -  E♭
• Ab min chord (♫ listen):   A♭ - C♭ -  E♭

Also Known As:

• parallel tonic; parallel major/minor; tonic major/minor
• tonalità parallele (It)
• tonalité parallèle (Fr)
• Varianttonart (Ger)
  (Not to be confused with Paralleltonart; German for relative key.)

Pronunciation: PAH-ruh-lell'