There are three types of minor scales: natural, harmonic, and melodic. The natural minor scale is the most basic form of the minor scale. The harmonic minor is also occasionally referred to as the Mohammedan scale[5] as its upper tetrachord corresponds to the Hijaz jins, commonly found in Middle Eastern music. Let’s review the three types of minor scales. Simply work out the natural minor using the set minor scale intervals outlined above (Tone – Semitone – Tone – Tone – Semitone – Tone – Tone). Since the natural minor scale is built on the 6th degree of the major scale, the tonic of the relative minor is a major sixth above the tonic of the major scale. They are created like this: Natural Minor – built from 6th note of major scale. While major scales sound quite happy, minor scales sound mysterious, sad, or exotic. Minor scales provide a darker, and often more complex sound than major scales. When I first started learning the guitar, I was consistently told that if you master your scales you can master the fretboard. The natural minor scale follows the notes set out in the key signature for the scale without any changes. Ditonic scales – two notes per octave. When talking about musical intervals, this is the nomenclature we use. We explain guitar scales and the basic music theory surrounding them using illustrations and step-by-step instruction in this beginner guitar lesson. Play the shape one fret higher for B b minor pen… You can see from the sheet music below how the 7th note of the scale (G) has been raised a semitone (half tone) to become G sharp: Minor scales are no less important or any smaller in size than major scales. In some contexts, minor scale is used to refer to any heptatonic scale with this property[2] (see Related modes below). Melodic Minor – natural minor with #6 and #7. A natural minor scale is a sequence of notes x1, x2, x3, x4, x5, x6, x7, x8 such that. The melodic minor scale is formed by using both of these solutions. Although various hemitonic[clarification needed] pentatonic scales might be called minor, the term is most commonly applied to the relative minor pentatonic scale, derived as a mode of the major pentatonic scale, using scale tones 1, 3, 4, 5, and 7 of the natural minor scale. But when the seventh degree is raised from G♮ to G♯, the triad becomes a major triad. The only difference is that we raise the 7th note by a semitone (half step). For example, a piece in E minor will have one sharp in its key signature because the E natural minor scale has one sharp (F♯). The harmonic minor scale (or Aeolian ♯7 scale) has the same notes as the natural minor scale except that the seventh degree is raised by one semitone, creating an augmented second between the sixth and seventh degrees. Intervals in music describe the distance between two notes. Harmonic Minor – natural minor with #7. Here are all the minor scales (natural, harmonic and melodic) for you to have a go at. Basic Music Terms #: Translating to sharp, when the note needs to be raised by one semitone A major scale: A B C# D E F# G# To make this a natural minor we need to flatten the third, sixth and seventh scale degree which gives us the following. However, it’s still pretty easy to work out if you can remember which notes to raise. This will mean that you can easily check whether you are playing the scales correctly. Thus, a number without a flat represents a major (or perfect) interval. Tetratonic scales – four notes per octave. A natural minor scale can also be constructed by altering a major scale with accidentals. In this example, the numbers mean: Thus, for instance, the A natural minor scale can be built by lowering the third, sixth, and seventh degrees of the A major scale by one semitone: Because of this, the key of A minor is called the parallel minor of A major. Come back down again and you have just played the descending A Natural Minor Scale. The one above is the natural or pure minor scale. The Dorian mode is a minor mode with a major sixth, while the Phrygian mode is a minor mode with a minor second. This augmented fifth chord (♯5 chord) played a part in the development of modern chromaticism. There is exactly one type of major scale, and everybody knows exactly how it goes. The set pattern of intervalsfor the notes of the natural minor scale is: Tone – Semitone – Tone – Tone – Semitone – Tone – Tone It is the same pattern of notes when going up the scale as when going down the scale. The most common intervals are: prime, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and octave. The fact that there are three of them can lead to some interesting dilemmas and a lot of musicians are unsure what scale to pick and what compliments these scales have in the midst of a chord progression. The ascending pattern of a natural minor scale is Whole-Half-Whole-Whole-Half-Whole-Whole. The table indicates the number of sharps or flats in each scale. A B C D E F … In music theory, the term minor scale refers to three scale patterns – the natural minor scale (or Aeolian mode), the harmonic minor scale, and the melodic minor scale (ascending or descending)[1] – rather than just one as with the major scale. Tone – Semitone – Tone – Tone – Semitone – Tone and a half – Semitone. For more info about the types of minor scales check out my post here. One chord, with various spellings, may therefore have various harmonic functions in various keys. Let’s have a look at a couple of examples: Have a look at the sheet music for the A Melodic Minor Scale: Minor Scales Scale: A scale is a series of notes when its pattern of notes is the same in every octave. Major keys are quite often associated with the music feeling happy or joyful whereas minor keys are known for music that sounds sad or melancholy. I hope you enjoy playing them! If we start on a D and play a harmonic minor scale then we raise the C natural (7th note of the scale) to become a C sharp: This is the trickiest of the minor scales as the pattern for going up the scale is different from that coming down the scale! In music theory, the term minor scale refers to three scale patterns – the natural minor scale (or Aeolian mode), the harmonic minor scale, and the melodic minor scale (ascending or descending) – rather than just one as with the major scale. 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