What does relative major/minor describe?

• A. They always have different tonal centers.
• B. They share the same key signature but are different tonal centers.
• C. They have different tonic notes but the same mode.
• D. They are the same pitch class.

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is that relative major and minor share the same set of notes and key signature, but start on different tonic notes. In practice, the relative minor is built from the same diatonic collection as its relative major; the major key’s tonic is different from the minor key’s tonic, yet the notes themselves are the same. For example, C major and A minor use the same notes and have no sharps or flats in the key signature, but their tonics are C and A, respectively. That means they share the same key signature but have different tonal centers. The other statements either describe modes inaccurately or imply a difference in pitch structure that isn’t central to the relative relationship.