Find the relative minor fast
How to find the relative minor fast – A practical guide for sax players
In this lesson, I share a simple mnemonic system that helps you instantly remember the relative minor for every major key.
This matters far more than most players realise, because once you know the relative minor, you unlock a powerful improvising sound straight away.
You can confidently use a minor blues scale over a major key and it sounds fantastic. For example, over C major you can use the A minor blues scale. This immediately adds colour, expression and a soulful edge to what might otherwise sound quite plain.
We work around the cycle of fifths together using clear, memorable word and visual cues so the information actually sticks. No rote learning, no theory overload, just a practical system you can recall instantly when you are playing.
To help you hear and feel this in a real musical context, I have created two backing tracks in C major, one for alto sax and one for tenor sax.
You also get two PDFs. One shows the full mnemonic ideas laid out around the cycle of fifths. One is a clean version without the mnemonics, with all the relative minors clearly marked.
This approach is all about confidence, speed, and freedom when improvising, especially in major key situations.
Free downloads
Cycle of fifths with mnemonic ideas – How to find the relative minor fast
Cycle of fifths clean version with relative minors marked