Minor Scales

If there are major scales there are also minor scales. The notes on a major scale sound bright and cheerful while notes on the minor scale sound solemn and sad. There are three types of minor scales:

Natural Minor Scale - When you play all the notes in a minor key signature, you are playing the minor scale. To guide you, here are the minor scales in every key:C = C - D - Eb - F - G - Ab - Bb - CD = D - E - F - G - A - Bb - C – D

E = E - F# - G - A - B - C - D - E

F = F - G - Ab - Bb - C - Db - Eb - F

G = G - A - Bb - C - D - Eb - F - G

A = A - B - C - D - E - F - G - A

B = B - C# - D - E - F# - G - A - B

C# = C# - D# - E - F# - G# - A - B - C#

Eb = Eb - F - Gb - Ab - Bb - Cb - Db - Eb

F# = F# - G# - A - B - C# - D - E - F#

G# = G# - A# - B - C# - D# - E - F# - G#

Bb = Bb - C - Db - Eb - F - Gb - Ab - Bb

To simplify, you can memorize this formula to form a minor scale = whole step - half step - whole step - whole step - half step - whole step - whole step or w - h - w - w - h - w - w.

Harmonic Minor Scale - To play a harmonic minor scale, you simply raise the seventh note of the scale by a half-step as you go up and down the scale. For example:

Natural C Minor Scale = C - D - Eb - F - G - Ab - Bb - C

Harmonic C Minor Scale = C - D - Eb - F - G - Ab - B - C

Melodic Minor Scale - When you raise the sixth and seventh notes of a scale by a half step as you go up the scale and then return to the natural minor as you go down the scale. For example:

Melodic C Minor Scale = C - D - Eb - F - G - A - B - C (as you go up the scale)

Natural C Minor Scale = C - D - Eb - F - G - Ab - Bb - C (as you go down the scale)