Minor
Scales and Keys
David Loberg Code, Western Michigan University
Minor scales come in three variants: natural, harmonic, and
melodic. It is probably easiest to
compare them with the major scale.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
D major
D E F# G A B C# D
D natural minor D E
F G A Bb C D
D harmonic
minor D E
F G A Bb C# D
D melodic minor D
E
F
G A B C# D (descend
with natural minor C Bb A etc.)
To form the natural minor
scale, we can lower scale degrees 3, 6, and 7. This will change these intervals to a minor 3rd,
minor 6th, and minor 7th. (That is why this is called a minor scale.)
The harmonic minor scale
uses the same leading tone as the major scale (C#), but a minor 3rd
and 6th. The melodic
minor scale is more unusual because it is different going up then it is going
down. Notice how the 6th
and 7th scales degrees change from B and C# to Bb and C
natural. Going up, melodic minor
is almost the same as major, except for the minor 3rd. Going down it is exactly the same as
minor.
Minor key signatures are formed from the natural minor form of the
scale. Therefore, the key
signature for D minor has only one flat: Bb. If a piece is using the harmonic or melodic forms of the
minor scale, the "extra" accidentals are NOT included in the key
signature. They are written in
separately each time they are needed in the music. It may seem silly, but that is how it is done. As a result, the order of sharps
and flats in minor key signatures is the actually the same as for major keys.
To determine the name of a
minor key from the key signature, first find the major key using the tricks for
sharps or flats described earlier.
Once you know the major key, go to the 6th scale degree. This is the starting note for the relative
minor, that is the minor key with
the same key signature. For
example:
The
key signature has 3 sharps
(F#-C#-G#).
The
last sharp is G#, a minor 2nd
above that is A.
The
major key is A major. The 6th
scale degree of
A major is F#. The minor key is
F# minor.
WARNING:
When looking at a
piece of music, do not automatically assume that it is in a major key. The key signature could be for either
major or minor. You need to look
for additional clues to determine which one is correct. What note does the piece start on or
end on? Often, but not always,
this will be the tonic (Do). Are
there any "extra" accidentals?
Remember, harmonic and melodic minor will have extra accidentals which
are not included in the key signature.