So it can seem that understanding and learning to play them all is an enormous task This is not true, thank goodness, and it is indeed easily possible for anyone to learn ALL of the scales, when the way they are built (or, spelled. It has four flats.Scales for non-Performance majors to attain sophomore level: Chromatic scale, all major scales with tonic arpeggios, and natural, harmonic, and melodic minor 4 Minor scales – Natural vs harmonic vs melodicThe minor scales can seem further confusing, as there are natural minor, melodic minor, and harmonic minor scales. This scale consists of the pitches, F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Let’s start with the F natural minor scale. We will take a look at the three types of minor scale, the natural minor, melodic minor and harmonic minor scales. This lesson is all about the F minor scale.
C natural minor and Eb major have the same notes in their scales. So both scales share exactly the same notes, they only start on a different note.Notice that A is the 6 th note in the scale of C major.In general, you can say: a natural minor scale can be found by playing the notes of a major scale starting on the 6 th note of that major scale.Or, in other words: you can find a relative minor of a major scale by going up a major 6 th interval (or going down a minor 3 rd interval, the result is the same, you will arrive at the same note).For example, to find the C natural minor scale, go a minor 3 rd up from C to find its relative major scale, which is Eb major. Or, you can also say: C major is the relative major of A minor.
What you did is resolving the B by playing the next note a semitone higher, the C.The B is called a leading tone it’s a semitone away from our resolution, the C, the root of our scale.In all major scales, the 7 th note is a semitone away from the root. You can solve this ‘problem’ by playing the next note a semitone higher than the B, which is the C (the root of our C major scale). When you end your line on the B, it sounds as if something is missing, as if it’s not finished. Play the C major scale starting on C and go up till you reach the 7 th note, the B. In our case, the leading tone resolves to the root of the scale we’re in.Let me illustrate this with the C major scale. A leading tone is a note that resolves to another note a semitone up (or down).
This is quite special because till now we’ve seen only half tone and whole tone intervals between two consecutive notes of a scale.This interval of 3 semitones gives the harmonic minor scale a very nice sounding effect. In that way, the ‘leading tone-problem’ is solved.Let me illustrate this again with the C minor scale.Now, just raise the 7 th note (the Bb) by a semitone to obtain C harmonic minor:It’s as easy as that! When you want to know a harmonic minor scale: take the natural minor scale and raise the 7 th note by a half tone and you’re done!Notice the special interval between the 6 th and 7 th note of the harmonic minor scale: 3 semitones, which you probably recognized as a minor 3 rd interval. The only difference is the 7 th note which is raised by a half tone. The ‘major scale formula’ (WWHThe ‘natural minor scale formula’ is WHWWHWWSince the natural minor scale has no leading tone, the harmonic minor scale was introduced.(the next video explains more in detail what a leading tone is and how the resolution from a leading tone to the root sounds)Harmonic minor – The C harmonic minor scaleThe harmonic minor scale is almost equal to the natural minor scale. You can see that in the next figure where I show this with the C major scale.
Take the C harmonic minor scale:Now raise the 6 th note (the Ab) by a half tone to obtain the C melodic minor scale:In the next figure with the ‘melodic minor scale formula’, you can see that the melodic minor scale The scale obtained in this way is called a melodic minor scale.Let me illustrate this again with C minor. And this is where the melodic minor scale comes into play.Melodic minor – The C melodic minor scaleIn order to have a minor scale with a leading tone but without an augmented 2 nd interval between two consecutive scale notes, just take the harmonic minor scale and raise the 6 th note of the harmonic minor scale by a semitone. The augmented 2 nd interval is displayed as 1½ whole tones (=3 semitones).The exotic sounding augmented 2 nd interval in the harmonic minor scale is however not always the wanted effect. You can clearly see the semitone -or half tone- interval (H) between the leading tone (the 7 th note of the interval) and the root.
The G7 chord consists of the notes G, B, D and F.When you would continue to play in C natural minor over the G7 chord, the Bb in C natural minor could conflict with the B in the G7. You would then normally (but not exclusively) play a melody or a solo with the notes of the C natural minor scale.Now, let’s assume that the piece contains a G7 chord. At a glance, you can see the intervals between the notes of the scale (1, 2 or 3 semitones).The examples are based on the scales with C as a root note, but this infographic applies of course to major and minor scales in all roots.When are the harmonic and melodic minor scales used?Let me first show you how the harmonic minor scale could be used in a melody or in a solo.Imagine playing a piece in the key of C minor. Take the major scale and replace the major 3 rd by a minor 3 rdNote that in classical theory the descending melodic scale is not the same as the ascending melodic scale: the ascending scale is the one you just saw here above, the descending scale is simply the natural minor scale.In modern music (jazz), the ascending and descending melodic minor scale are the same.To have an idea of how the melodic minor scale sounds, listen to the next sound sample: The major and all the minor scales comparedIn the next infographic, you can see an overview of the differences and similarities between the major scale and the natural, harmonic and melodic minor scale. Take the natural minor scale and raise the 6 th and the 7 th note both by a half step Take the harmonic minor scale and raise the 6 th note by a half step
So when a jazz musician improvises over a scale derived from melodic minor harmony, he will play notes from the melodic minor scale.If you liked this lesson, or if you have any questions or comments, please leave a comment below.
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