Learning to play the different types of minor scales on instruments allows performers to become familiar with the minor patterns most commonly used in Western classical music. Instead, these are useful categories primarily for instrumental performers. Likewise, a work is simply “minor” or “in minor ” musicians do not consider music to be “in” a specific type of minor scale (i.e. These three types of minor scales should be thought of like flavors of ice cream ice cream is still ice cream regardless of whether it is chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, etc. There are three different types of minor scales: natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor. Many musicians hear minor works as sounding more “sad” than major works, which they often hear as “happier.” The order of sharps and flats in major and minor key signatures are the same.Ī minor scale's third note is always a half-step lower than the third note of the major scale with the same name (e.g. Each major key signature has a corresponding relative minor key signature, whose tonic is three half-steps below the relative major’s tonic.The parallel relationship is when a major and minor key share a tonic note, while the relative relationship is when a major and minor key share a key signature. Major and minor keys share two different relationships.These are largely the same in minor as they are in major, except for the subtonic (te or \downarrow\hat7). Each note of a minor scale is also named with scale-degree names.There are a few new solfège syllables in minor including me (\downarrow\hat3), le (\downarrow\hat6)), and te (\downarrow\hat7)). Scale degrees in minor are the same as those in major.The melodic minor form of the minor scale consists of an ordered collection of half- and whole-steps in the ascending succession W-H-W-W-W-W-H and the descending succession W-W-H-W-W-H-W.The harmonic minor form of the minor scale consists of an ordered collection of half- and whole-steps in the ascending succession W-H-W-W-H-3Hs-H.The natural minor form of the minor scale consists of an ordered collection of half- and whole-steps with the ascending succession W-H-W-W-H-W-W.A minor scale's third note is always a half-step lower than the third note of the major scale with the same name.
#Melodic minor scales with arpeggios download#
Over time you will be comfortable with any right hand pattern as well.Ĭheck out the images below, and if you wish to download a free PDF, just click on the image and you can download from there. At least alternate i & m then m & a then i & a. Every note can be beautiful, with a clear attack, sustain and ending. Pay careful attention to tone quality.Make sure that you shift in a completely smooth way - this is one of the hardest and most valuable lessons.This scale playing probably takes about 20 minutes to complete the whole cycle. Over several seasons, you will have a tremendous increase in your total technical skills on the guitar. Remember that there is no hurry, and to take your time, with patience and thorough attention to details.Īfter you have a solid control of both the major and minor scale patterns, and can play them in all positions on the fretboard, continue by playing the whole cycle of major and minor scales every day. Remember that whatever note you start on is the name of the scale you are playing.Īfter you have established a solid mastery of the Bb minor scale, repeat the same process with the F melodic minor scale. Over the period of, for example, a month, with careful attention, you will be able to play this pattern anywhere on the fretboard. Once that is memorized and comfortable to play, then begin to transpose it to different keys. Using the same unified approach outlined for major scales, begin by learning the Bb melodic minor scale illustrated below. ( Click here for a brief discussion of how scales are constructed.) Because the melodic minor uses different pitches while ascending and descending, I have found it is technically the most beneficial to learn and practice. I use the "melodic" minor for the purposes of keyboard mastery. There are three forms of the minor scale: natural, harmonic and melodic minor. Minor Scales - Two and Three Octave Transposable PatternsĪfter you have learned to play the transposable major scales, and have memorized and practiced them in all 12 keys, the next step is to learn the minor scales.