How to Play Minor Scales

There are two forms of Western scales, ones that are major and others that are minor. The distinction between these two are based on the way that the scales sound. The minors will be much more sad, solemn or even angry at times, while major scales will be brighter. Once you have your minor scales down, you'll have the capacity to play with any mood.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• staff paper
• pencil
• instrument

1. Pick the starting point for the scale. This will also be the name of the scale. For example, if you choose A, than you will be playing the a minor scale.

2. You will want to move up your scale by steps, either half or whole. For the minor scale, the steps are:
   
   M2
   m2
   M2
   M2
   m2
   M2
   M2.
   
   The M2 is a Major 2nd, or a whole step. The m2 is a minor 2nd or a half step.
   
   Your minor a scale will have the notes a, b, c, d, e, f, g, a.

3. Another way that you can find the notes to play is by stepping down from the relative major. For example, if you want the minor key to be the same key signature as G Major (F#), simply start on G, then go back two notes. You will then be on E. This is the relative minor and will also have F#.

4. You can add variations to this scale. A natural minor is going to have the same notes as the major. A melodic minor will also have a raised 7th note. The harmonic minor will have a raised 6th and 7th note on the way up but not on the way down. They will read like this for the a minor scale:
   
   Natural: a, b, c, d, e, f, g, a.
   Melodic: a, b, c, d, e, f, g#, a.
   Harmonic: a, b, c, d, e, f#, g#, a, g, f, e, d, c, b, a.

Tips & Warnings

• If you want a third way of finding the minor, you can play everything as you would the major scale, but lower the third and the sixth step. For example, C Major with a lowered third and sixth would be: C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, B, C

[allemande]

on 11/24/2008 I live in the UK and play cello professionally. We call the scales that raise the 6th and 7th degrees on the way up and lower on the way down Melodic Minor Scales (I always think that the term melodic gives the impression of the curve). And we call the scale with lowered 6th and raised 7th degrees Harmonic minor.
Funny that! Perhaps this is just a difference between the way our two nations have developed our music.
"You say tomatoes and I say tomatoes"

[sunshine11219]

on 11/17/2008 well written

[mojoworkin]

on 10/11/2008 Cool stuff... I am an advid music writer.. I play guitar and recently took up the keyboards..for some strange reason learning the keys is easier for than the guitar was> I guess it's the previous experience.