{"id":50,"date":"2024-04-04T13:53:22","date_gmt":"2024-04-04T17:53:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/openbooks.macewan.ca\/introtomusictheory\/?post_type=chapter&p=50"},"modified":"2025-10-24T17:23:33","modified_gmt":"2025-10-24T21:23:33","slug":"minor-scales","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/openbooks.macewan.ca\/introtomusictheory\/chapter\/minor-scales\/","title":{"raw":"Minor Scales","rendered":"Minor Scales"},"content":{"raw":"The major scale is the most common and useful scale when studying music theory, but it is important to also familiarize ourselves with other scales\u2014starting with the two most common minor scales: the natural minor scale and the harmonic minor scale.\r\n\r\nThe natural minor is a useful starting point when studying minor scales. We can create a natural minor scale by lowering the third, sixth, and seventh degrees of a major scale by one semitone. The harmonic minor scale can be created by lowering the third and the sixth degrees of a major scale by one semitone.\r\n\r\nClick on each of the following slides to find out more. Click on the information icon \u201ci\u201d to read the additional note.<\/strong>\r\n\r\nTo view the slides in full-screen mode, click the icon\u00a0 \"full at the bottom-right corner.<\/strong>\r\n\r\nClick the Play icon to listen to the sample clip.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n[h5p id=\"68\"]\r\n
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Exercises<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

\r\n\r\nAdd the necessary accidentals to create the following scales:\r\n\r\n[h5p id=\"28\"]\r\n\r\n[h5p id=\"29\"]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nThe natural minor scale can also be considered as a \u201cdisplaced\u201d major scale. If we look at C major scale, we can see it has no accidentals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1050\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1024\"]\"Image Figure 11.1[\/caption]\r\n\r\nIf we take the exact same notes but start on A instead of C, we get A natural minor.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1051\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1024\"]\"Image Figure 11.2[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThis is because C major and A natural minor are related scales, meaning they have the same notes; they just start at different points. To discover any major scale\u2019s relative minor, simply count up to the sixth note of the major scale. To discover any natural minor\u2019s relative major, count down six notes.\r\n

Scales<\/a><\/h2>\r\n[embed]https:\/\/streaming.macewan.ca\/media\/Scales\/1_pnnwsdzk[\/embed]\r\n

Video 11.1 Scales [Video transcript - See Appendix B 11.1<\/a>]<\/p>","rendered":"

The major scale is the most common and useful scale when studying music theory, but it is important to also familiarize ourselves with other scales\u2014starting with the two most common minor scales: the natural minor scale and the harmonic minor scale.<\/p>\n

The natural minor is a useful starting point when studying minor scales. We can create a natural minor scale by lowering the third, sixth, and seventh degrees of a major scale by one semitone. The harmonic minor scale can be created by lowering the third and the sixth degrees of a major scale by one semitone.<\/p>\n

Click on each of the following slides to find out more. Click on the information icon \u201ci\u201d to read the additional note.<\/strong><\/p>\n

To view the slides in full-screen mode, click the icon\u00a0 \"full at the bottom-right corner.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Click the Play icon to listen to the sample clip.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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