Minor Scales

[elise]

There are three types of Minor scales - natural, melodic, and harmonic.


The Natural Minor

A: A B C D E F G A
A#/Bb: A# B# C# D# E# (F) F# G# A# / Bb C Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb
B: B C# D E F# G A B
C: C D Eb F G Ab Bb C
C#/Db: C# D# E F# G# A B C# / Db Eb Fb (E) Gb Ab Bbb (A) Cb (B) Db
D: D E F G A Bb C D
D#/Eb: D# E# (F) F# G# A# B C# D# / Eb F Gb Ab Bb Cb (B) Db Eb
E: E F# G A B C D E
F: F G Ab Bb C Db Eb F
F#/Gb: F# G# A B C# D E F# / Gb Ab Bbb (A) Cb (B) Db Ebb (D) Fb (E) Gb
G: G A Bb C D Eb F G
G#/Ab: G# A# B C# D# E F# G# / Ab Bb Cb (B) Db Eb Fb (E) Gb Ab

[elise]

The Melodic Minor Scale differs from the Natural Minor Scale by the sixth and seventh notes, which are raised one semitone. This scale is kind of peculiar since it is sometimes played differently ascending and descending.

Jazz: The sixth and seventh notes are always raised, exactly as the pictures below illustrate. This is the most modern approach to this scale.
Classical music: When you go up the scale, you use the Melodic Minor Scale, but when you go down the scale you use the Natural Minor Scale.

e.g. Melodic Scale in A:
Ascending: A, B, C, D, E, F#, G#, A
Descending: A, G, F, E, D, C, B, A

Melodic Minor Scales (auxiliary notes in descending scale in parentheses)
A: A B C D E F# (F) G# (G) A
A#/Bb: Bb C Db Eb F G (Ab) A (Ab) Bb
B: B C# D E F# G# (G) A# (A) B
C: C D Eb F G A (Ab) B (Bb) C
C#/Db: C# D# E F# G# A# (A) C (B) C#
D: D E F G A B (Bb) C# (C) D
D#/Eb: D# F F# G# A# C (B) D (C#) D#
E: E F# G A B C# (C) D# (D) E
F: F G Ab Bb C D (Db) E (Eb) F
F#/Gb: F# G# A B C# D# (D) F (E) F#
G: G A Bb C D E (Eb) F# (F) G
G#/Ab: G# A# B C# D# F (E) G (F#) G#

[elise]

The Harmonic Minor differs from the Natural Minor by the sharpened seventh note.

A: A B C D E F G# A
A#/Bb: A# C C# D# F F# A A# (theoretically correct is B# E# and G## instead of C F and A) / Bb C Db Eb F Gb A Bb
B: B C# D E F# G A# B
C: C D Eb F G Ab B C
C#/Db: C# D# E F# G# A C C# (theoretically correct is B# instead of C) / Db Eb Fb Gb Ab A C Db
D: D E F G A Bb C# D
D#/Eb: D# F F# G# A# B D D# (theoretically correct is E# and C## instead of F and D) / Eb F Gb Ab Bb Cb D Eb
E: E F# G A B C D# E
F: F G Ab Bb C Db E F
F#/Gb: F# G# A B C# D F F# (theoretically correct is E# instead of F) / Gb Ab Bbb Cb Db Ebb F Gb
G: G A Bb C D Eb F# G
G#/Ab: G# A# B C# D# E G G# (theoretically correct is F## instead of G) / Ab Bb Cb Db Eb Fb G Ab

[elise]

Relative keys have the same notes and can be found for all major and natural minor scales.

Cb - Abm
Gb - Ebm
Db - Bbm
Ab - Fm
Eb - Cm
Bb - Gm
F - Dm
C - Am
G - Em
D - Bm
A - F#m
E - C#m
B - G#m
F# - D#m
C# - A#m

You don't need to memorise all relative keys- if you want to know the relative minor just go to the sixth degree in the major scale or, the other way around, to the third degree in the minor scale to identify the relative major.

Although the notes are the same, there is a difference between two relative keys: the tonic (first tone in the scale) is different and this leads to different sounds. If you play in the A Minor you will get a gloomier and kind of melancholy sound compared to C Major.