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A minor is the relative minor of C major. The scales for these keys include the same notes: C major - C, D, E, F, G, A, B (notice that A is the sixth degree (note) on the C major scale) A...
The Minor Scale. A minor scale's third note is always a half step lower than the third note of the major scale with the same name (e.g., B major and B minor). There are three different types of minor scales: natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor.
Learn how to play the minor scale on piano in every key, with pictures and notes for each key. The minor scale is the most essential scale for an emotional tone. Anything from sad, tearjerking and tragic, to solemn, introspective and deep.
- The Minor Scale
- Natural Minor
- Harmonic Minor
- Melodic Minor
- Minor Scale Degrees, Solfège, and Scale-Degree Names
- The Parallel and Relative Relationships
- Minor Key Signatures
- Minor Keys and The Circle of Fifths
- Major Or Minor?
A minor scale's third note is always a half step lower than the third note of the major scale with the same name (e.g., B major and B minor). There are three different types of minor scales: natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor. These three types of minor scales should be thought of like flavors of ice cream; ice cream is still ice crea...
The natural minor form of the minor scale consists of an ordered collection of half and whole steps with the ascending succession W‑H‑W‑W‑H‑W‑W, as shown in Example 1. Each whole step is labeled with a square bracket and “W,” and each half step is labeled with an angled bracket and “H.” Listen carefully to Example 1and notice that the half and whol...
The harmonic minor form of the minor scale consists of an ordered collection of half and whole steps in the ascending succession W‑H‑W‑W‑H‑3Hs‑H (“3Hs” = 3 half steps), as shown in Example 2. The curved bracket represents a distance of three half steps (or a whole step plus a half step). Listen carefully to Example 2and notice that the half and who...
The melodic minor form of the minor scale consists of an ordered collection of half and whole steps in the ascending succession W‑H‑W‑W‑W‑W‑H and the descending succession W‑W‑H‑W‑W‑H‑W, as shown in Example 3. When you listen to Example 3, notice that the melodic minor form has different ascending and descending patterns: the ascending pattern is u...
Minor scale degrees, solfège, and scale-degree names are similar to, but not exactly the same as, their major-scale counterparts. Example 5 summarizes the three types of minor scale, and shows the scale degrees and solfège for each. Note that the scale degrees are the same as in a major scale. The bottom line shows the solfège syllables, which diff...
When comparing major and minor keys, there are two relationships that are important. The parallel relationship is when a major key shares a tonic (do, ) with a minor key. For example, C major and C minor (or A♭ major and A♭ minor, or F♯ major and F♯ minor) are parallel keys. We use the terms “parallel minor” and “parallel major” to describe this re...
Minor key signatures, like major key signatures, go after a clef but before a time signature. Each major key has a corresponding relative minor key signature; therefore, the orders of the sharps and flats are the same in minor key signatures as they are in major key signatures, placed on the same lines and spaces. Example 9, reproduced from the pre...
The circle of fifths can be used as a visual for minor key signatures as well as major key signatures. Each key signature is placed alongside the corresponding major and minor keys. Example 12shows the circle of fifths for minor and major keys: In Example 12, major keys are in blue uppercase letters around the outside of the circle, while minor key...
When you are given a piece of music to play or sing, the notation will often include a key signature, which will help you to narrow down the key of the work to two options: a major key and its relative minor.But how can you tell which one the work is in? One thing that can help is to listen to and look at the first and last notes of the work—pieces...
Fortunately, the music sounds like it is in minor and the first lowest note is F, so we know the excerpt is in F minor. When a major key signature and minor key signature are the same, such as A-flat major and F minor, that major key and minor key are relative keys.
A minor key is called the Relative Minor of the major key that has the same key signature (and vice versa, the major key is the Relative Major to the minor). Even though they have the same key signature, a minor key and its relative major sound very different.
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Minor key signatures. Here is a slightly modified excerpt from my book Essential Music Theory Volume 1: Learn To Read And Appreciate Music. Each minor scale has a relative major, like a cousin! A relative minor has the same key signature as the major of which it is a relative.
