SINGING MINOR SCALES

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MAJOR AND MINOR SCALES

1. In all major scales, semitones occur between the 3rd and 4th, 7th and 8th degrees. In minor scales, semitones occur between the 2nd and 3rd, 4th and 5th, 7th and 8th degrees.
2. In major scales, the 1st degree of note is the tonic (doh) while in minor scale like the‘A’ harmonic minor scale, the first degree of note is the sub mediant (lah)
3. Minor scale comprises of fifteen notes ascending and descending while major scale comprises of eight notes ascending.

TYPES OF MINOR SCALES:

There are three types of minor scale. They include melodic, harmonic and natural minor scale.

1. HARMONIC MINOR SCALE: In melodic minor scale, semitones occur between the 2nd and 3rd,5th and 6th, 7th and 8th degrees. Although, there is an augmented 2nd between the 6th and 7th degrees. The same intervals are maintained both in ascending and descending order.
2. MELODIC MINOR SCALE: In melodic minor scales, semitones occur between the 2nd and 3rd, 7th and 8th degrees ascending. In descending order, the accidentals involved between notes in ascending order are naturalized. The descending melodic form represents the relative major scale of the minor scale. The melodic minor scales are easy to sing.

RELATIVE MINOR OF MAJOR KEYS:

This is shown in a tabular form below.

SHARP KEYS

MAJOR SCALE                                                                     MINOR SCALE

1. C Major             A Minor
2. G Major (1 sharp)             E Minor
3. D Major (2 Sharps)             B Minor ( 2 Sharps)
4. A Major (3 sharps)             F # Minor (3 Sharps)
5. E Major (4 Sharps)             C # Minor ( 4 Sharps)
6. B Major (5 Sharps)             G # Minor   ( 5 Sharps)
7. F # Major ( 6 Sharps)             D # Minor   (6 Sharps)
8. C # Major ( 7 Sharps)             A # Minor  ( 7 Sharps)

RELATIVE MAJOR OF MINOR KEYS: This is shown below in a tabular form below.

FLAT KEYS

MAJOR SCALE                                                                         MINOR SCALE

1. F Major (1 Flat)                                                                         D Minor (1 Flat)
2. B Flat Major (2 Flats)                                                              G Minor (2 Flats)
3. E Flat Major (3 Flats)                                                              C Minor (3 Flats)
4. A Flat Major (4 Flats)                                                              F Minor (4 Flats)
5. D Flat Major (5 Flats)                                                             B Flat Minor (5 Flats)
6. G Flat Major (6 Flats)                                                             E Flat Minor (6 Flats)
7. C Flat Major ( 7 Flats)                                                            A Flat Minor ( 7 Flats)