Minor Scales Flashcards
What are the three types of minor scale?
Natural, Harmonic, and Melodic
How to get a natural minor scale
Add three flats to the key signature (the notes depends on the major scale)
What is the series of whole and half steps for any natural minor scale?
whwwhww
What happens to sharp keys when making the scale minor?
The sharp keys are removed. For example if we take the key of E with 4 sharps and add 3 flats, those 3 flats cancel out the last 3 sharps in the key signature, leaving us with one sharp, which is the key of e minor. If you have a sharp key with only one or two sharps, adding three flats will cancel out any existing sharps and you’ll be left with two or one flat, respectively.
What are some ways to tell if the key is major or minor?
The sound, major is more happy and minor is more sad. Also by looking at the first and last notes. A key signature is almost always tonic and will end on the same note that gives the key its name.
What is a parallel minor?
a scale that begins on the same note as the major scale equivalent but with those added 3 flats that make it minor. D major + 3 flats = D minor. A parallel minor
What is a relative minor?
A scale that has the exact same key signature, but the starting note and tonality built on the piece is different. For example, G major is the same notes as E minor. They are relative minors because they start on different notes but still contain the same notes in the scale.
How to figure out the natural minor scale from the major scale
Start on the sixth note of the scale and play the same scale. For example on a G Major scale the 6th note is an E. If you start on E and play the same notes from a G major scale, then you have played the natural minor scale of an E.
What is the relative minor of G Major?
E minor
What is the relative minor of C Major?
A minor
What is the relative minor of D Major?
B minor
What makes it the harmonic minor scale?
The 7th degree of a natural minor scale is raised by a half step. This is used to get the harmony correct in chord progressions. In order for chord progressions to sound right to our ears, we need a half step between the 7th and 8th degree of the scale.
When the seventh degree is a half step away from the tonic, its called…
a leading tone
The tonic note/chord/sound is…
the first note/chord/sound played in a scale
How many steps between the 6th and 7th degree do we have in a Harmonic minor scale?
1 1/2
What are the flat notes on a keyboard
Any black key directly to the left of a white key. The note name is derived from the natural note
what is the flat sign?
b (ex. Fb Gb Eb)
What are enharmonic notes?
When notes have the same pitch but different names (ex. D# is also Eb)
What are the two places on the keyboard where there Is no accidental (# or b) but still half steps?
E to F and B to C
What are the half steps from E to F and B to C called?
Natural half steps
What are the primary triads of a tonality
I, IV and V
What is the subdominant chord of a key?
IV Chord
What is the dominant chord of a key?
V Chord
What is the mode of a key?
Minor or Major
