Minor scales
There are three forms of minor scales...
The minor form used most often in music is the harmonic minor and is what we are most familiar with. The pattern of half steps and whole steps in the scale always remains the same... Natural Harmonic Melodic Contrast this with the step pattern for the major scale... whole whole half whole whole whole half The relationship of the major scales to minor scales can be expressed in two ways... Relative minor - Shares the same key signature with the major scale. For example, C major has a relative minor of A minor. Parallel minor - Shares the same letter name with the major scale. For example, C major has a parallel minor of C minor, but the key signatures are different. C major has no sharps or flats in its key signature. C minor has three flats in the key signature.
Is that it for scales? Well, yes and no. Before tonality came along with its major and minor scales, there were modes. They are the basis for the tonal system we have in Western music, but not all of them are readily used today. Unless you major in music in college, you probably won't have to deal with them at all. It is easiest for me to remember how to play the modes by thinking of each one starting on a different white key on the piano and playing successive white keys. The modes and their corresponding white key starting notes are... C - ionian Of course, you can play the modes starting on any note, but for beginners, it's easy to play the dorian mode starting on a D and playing all the white keys until you get to the next D. Just learn the pattern of whole steps and half steps, and you can start on any note and play any mode. Interestingly enough, jazz musicians use modes more frequently today than classical musicians do.
|
