Lesson 3 — Minor Scales

The minor key

Every major scale has a relative minor that shares its exact key signature: the same notes, but a different tonic. The relative minor begins on the 6th degree of the major.

C major and A minor use the same notes (all white keys). What changes is the center of gravity: now everything revolves around A.

That is why we go through the minor keys in the same order as the major ones, but through their relatives.

The three forms of the minor scale

The minor scale is not just one: it has three forms, and all of them live side by side in tonal music. Let's use A minor as our example.

| Form | Notes | What changes | | --- | --- | --- | | Natural | A B C D E F G A | The key signature as is. This is the Aeolian mode. | | Harmonic | A B C D E F G♯ A | The 7th (leading tone) is raised so it "pulls" toward the tonic. | | Melodic ↑ | A B C D E F♯ G♯ A | Both 6th and 7th rise to smooth out the leap. | | Melodic ↓ | A G F E D C B A | Coming down it reverts to natural. |

Two key ideas:

• The harmonic form creates an augmented 2nd between the 6th and 7th (F → G♯). That leap is its signature sound.
• The melodic form removes that augmented 2nd on the way up (it also raises the 6th), but descending it no longer needs the pull toward the tonic, so it comes down as the natural scale.

The order by relatives

We go through all 15 minor keys following the major circle of fifths, by relatives:

Sharps: A · E · B · F♯ · C♯ · G♯ · D♯ · A♯ minor

Flats: D · G · C · F · B♭ · E♭ · A♭ minor

Exercise

Play all 15 minor keys in that order. For each key, in a single channel (Soprano):

1. Natural minor, ascending (8 notes)
2. Harmonic minor, ascending (8 notes)
3. Melodic minor, ascending (8 notes)
4. Melodic minor, descending (7 notes) — which is the natural scale on the way down

That's 31 notes per key. Mind the spelling: each degree uses its own letter (in A harmonic minor the 7th is G♯, not A♭). Export the MIDI and upload it to the Virtual Teacher.