The Minor Scale

[Black_Shuriken]

So I hear about the minor scale everywhere, but I keep hearing about the minor scale is within the major scale, could someone explain to me the minor scale, and how to play it in a minor key?

[The Shredder89]

Originally Posted by Black_Shuriken

So I hear about the minor scale everywhere, but I keep hearing about the minor scale is within the major scale, could someone explain to me the minor scale, and how to play it in a minor key?

When people say that the minor scale is within the major scale, they mean that they are both relative to each other.

For example, the key of A minor, also known as A natural minor and/or A aeolian, is composed of the notes A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. The key of C major, also known as C ionian, has the notes C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. They both have the same notes; the only difference is that they start on a different root note. Therefore, A minor is relative to C major, or vice versa.

When people talk about this, they will probably call it the relative minor, or relative major. A minor is the relative minor of C major, while C major is the relative major of A minor.

One easy way to look at relative minor is to take the root note of the major scale and lower it by 3 frets (a step-and-a-half). Once again, in relation to C major, it would be A minor. Hope this helps for now.

Peace man.

[The Shredder89]

This stuff here is good to learn. I don't actually know it as well as I should. I was actually reading off of class notes while I wrote this . Just apply what you learn learn.

Now, for the theory behind playing it, I'm going to get into harmonizing the scale in triads (chords).

The major scale has seven basic chords that can be composed from it. These are:

I - C major - C, E, G
ii - D minor - D, F, A
iii - E minor - E, G, B
IV - F major - F, A, C
V - G major - G, B, D
vi - A minor - A, C, E
vii - B diminished - B, D, F

With the minor scale, the harmony becomes more complicated because the leading tone ( aka, the 7th note in the scale) is not a half-step away from the root note like it is in the major scale. This creates less of an impact when we deal with cadences, which are the V chord resolving to the I chord.

To deal with this problem in the minor key, the harmonic minor scale is employed. It has the exact same set of notes as the natural minor scale, except that the 7th degree is sharp, which creates is the leading tone in minor. So the set of notes would be: A, B, C, D, E, F, and G#. In addition, the melodic minor scale can be used at the same time, as well. The notes in A melodic minor are A, B, C, D, E, F#, and G#. Basically, when you work with stuff in the minor key, you have three scales you can use simultaneously.

Now for the harmonization of these three scales:

i - A minor - A, C, E
ii* - B diminished - B, D, F
ii - B minor - B, D, F#
III - C major - C, E, G
III+ - C augmented - C, E, G#
iv - D minor - D, F, A
IV - D major - D, F#, A
v - E minor - E, G, B
V - E major - E, G#, B
VI - F major - F, A, C
#vi* - F# diminished - F#, A, C
VII - G major - G, B, D
#vii* - G# diminished - G#, B, D

If you're just starting out with this stuff, I wouldn't worry about the diminished and augmented chords yet. Those don't occur often anyway, even though they can sound just as cool. It's a pretty big mouthful , just take your time and experiment.

[Black_Shuriken]

So wait, its technically a segment of the Major Scale? Like the Minor Pentatonic has boxes? So I already know the modes of the Major Scale, thusly if I want to play in a minor key I use the root of the aeolian, or of the Ionian and just use its relative minor?

[The Shredder89]

Originally Posted by Black_Shuriken

So wait, its technically a segment of the Major Scale? Like the Minor Pentatonic has boxes? So I already know the modes of the Major Scale, thusly if I want to play in a minor key I use the root of the aeolian, or of the Ionian and just use its relative minor?

Pretty much. Yeah. If I am playing in A minor, then that is the key I am in. Once you start playing in the minor key, all of the harmony changes.

For example, if I'm plunking along in the key of C major and the chord progression is C maj. Fmaj and G maj and then an A minor chord flys by, we're still in C major as long as the A minor chord resolves to C major, but if something like an E maj. chord follows the A minor chord, then we are definitely in the key of A minor since you have the G# from the E maj. chord is serving as your leading-tone. This whole process of moving from the key of C major to the key of A minor is known as modulation

[Black_Shuriken]

Alright, well, say I wanna play a solo thats in the Key of A and its minor, would I use the relative Minor of C, or start the Aeolian at A, or is it the same thing? Sorry, for all the questions, but I'm just trying to suss it out...

[The Shredder89]

Originally Posted by Black_Shuriken

Alright, well, say I wanna play a solo thats in the Key of A and its minor, would I use the relative Minor of C, or start the Aeolian at A, or is it the same thing? Sorry, for all the questions, but I'm just trying to suss it out...

Yeah, they are the same thing. When you get into music theory, you quickly realize that there are ALOT of ways to identify/analyze the same piece of information.

You should check out this video. It's great for developing improve, and he talks about the relative minor stuff .

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...GZy2rAK9h7HdAQ