In the minor scale, the half steps occur after steps 2 and 5. Major scales produce feelings of happiness, whereas minor scales are known to make people sad. The pattern of steps in a major scale is wwhwwwh whereas this pattern in a minor scale is whwwhww. We can build a minor scale using the white keys but starting in a. A natural minor scale or aeolian mode is a diatonic scale that is built by starting on the sixth degree of its relative major scale. Below are some scales and a few pieces of music written by violin teachers for their. Supplied in pdf and word formats for easy modification. Natural minor scale relationship to relative major.
In simple terms, a minor scale is a series of notes with a sad. Major scales have a major third interval between the first and third note. This includes many scales and modes such as dorian mode and the phrygian mode. Whichever way you want your students to understand the material the maths and theory of it all remains the same. Again, all the notes in the two scales are the same. Music theory lesson plans for high school and middle school. The key difference between major and minor scaes is that notes on a major scale sound bright and cheerful, while notes on a minor scale sound solemn and sad. There are two types of diatonic scales major and minor scales. Minor scales everything you need to know in 7 minutes. Major scale, in music, stepped arrangement of notes following the classical greek ionian mode though mistaken nomenclature in the 16th century has since caused it to be referred to as the lydian mode. Chords in other keys extending the principles encountered above so that they include the chords that can be built from any single major scale the tonic, dominant or subdominant chords or chords i ii iii iv etc.
This is because the upper parts in both scales are the same. Because of this, understanding which of these two scales is minor and which is major can be tricky. Youre going to need to know major scales and key signatures to. If we want to find the c natural minor scale, we simply play the major.
Major triad names consist of the leading note only, hence no short name is shown for them here. There are 3 groups and its easier to learn a particular finger pattern and apply it to the group rather than learn each scale separately. Natural minor scale a scale that contains halfsteps between 23 and 56 scale degrees the natural form. Minor scales are directly related to major scales, with a few extra rules. Here ive organised them in groups of fingering rather than keys. A minor scale in music theory is any scale that has at least three scale degrees. We can build a major scale using the white keys on the piano keyboard starting with c. Minor scales have a minor third interval between the first and third note. G major e minor pentatonic scale guitar scales the pentatonic scale is a favorite of many guitarists and its easy to see why. To be able to improvise over a minor key you need a minor scale. For instance, the a natural minor scale can be built by starting on the 6th degree of the c major scale. Difference between major and minor scales compare the. If we want to find the c natural minor scale, we simply play the major scale from a minor 3rd up. As with major scales, this sequence contains five whole steps and two half steps.
You can printout the pdf below which is all major scale for practise at the piano. So to start with, if you play a c major scale but start and end on the note a, you will hear the a pure minor scale. All the major and minor scales clarinet sheet music. The natural minor scale can be played in 5 different positions just like the major scale, the pentatonic scale and all the other scales. If youve ever taught music theory, then you would know that it can be difficult to get students to remember the pattern of tones and semitones needed, the scale degree names and for younger students the solfege names in order. For example, to convert c natural minor into c melodic minor, simply raise the ab and bb a half step to a and b.
Minor scales have a different pattern than major, but all minor scale patterns are the same. According to scientific american it seems that over the last few decades popular music has changed its course from major to minor keys. Download over twenty pages of free music theory lesson plans now. The difference between these two scales is the pattern of.
When we switched to dminor we now have ef the 2nd and 3rd note close, as well as abb the 5th and 6th note close together. Find major scales lesson plans and teaching resources. A diatonic scale is a series of eight successive notes that are arranged in a systematic relationship of whole steps and half steps. Minor scales cheat sheet harmonic minor raise the 7 th scale degree melodic minor raise the 6 th and 7 th scale degree ascending, revert to. For example, gabc can be the bottom tetrachord of the g major scale or the top tetrachord of the c major scale. In a major scale the intervals between successive notes after the first are tone, tone. T his guitar scales fretboard chart generator will show you all the major and minor guitar scales and modes with tons of customizable tunings. Tw o ro a d s the most common minor scale, the natural minor scale, follows the pattern of half steps and whole steps formed by the white piano keys from a up to.
Common scales the minor pentatonic scale can be looked at as being a natural minor scale with the 2nd and 6th notes removed a blues scale is simply a minor pentatonic scale with the inclusion of an additional lowered flattened. Play the modes on the guitar modes of the major scale modes of the minor scale. We know that every major scale has a relative minor scale. The harmonic minor scale music theory lesson 8 that is also the same with piano playing. The two scales you use most frequently when you play the piano and the most famous scales in western music are the major and the minor scales. Minor scales sound different from major scales because they are based on a different pattern of intervals. Piano major scales fingerings sheet music for piano download free in pdf or midi.
The secret to understanding them is by paying attention to the first part of the scale. Minor scales what are they and how are they formed. To construct or perform this type of scale, you need to remember that it has an ascending version along with a descending version. The song usually has a more darker, melancholic or sad mood. Like major scales, minor scales use a set sequence of half steps and whole steps. This was the first type of minor scale that was commonly used. Print a free pdf on common scales for your music classroom wall or to distribute to your students. Pdf major and minor music compared to excited and subdued.
A look at the chords majorminor and diminished that can be constructed from the notes of a c major scale music lesson plans topic 9. A minor key means the song is in a key or mode based on a minor scale. The three types of minor scales and how to form them. The melodic minor scale is very similar to the melodic major scale. Download a free major and minor scale spelling handout. The natural minor scale can be regarded as being a major scale with lowered flattened3rd, 6th and 7th. I use it when i teach tabs and when i teach basic improvisation. So having learnt your major scales as i hope you all are, because they are the most used scale in all of music. When we are dealing strictly with major scales we really only have one scale to draw our notes and melodies from.
Just select your string tuning standard tuning is default, click the link that says go then click a key link. Building piano scales major, minor, etc in all keys. Also included at the bottom of the app are the 5 scale patterns for memorizing these scales and a pdf download of all keys in standard tuning. Major scale c would be relative minor scale a, no sharps or flats at all, when i first got into music theory, the trick that i did not so sure many professionals would agree with me is just to go down 3 intervals from the starting note of the major scale, and tada. A demonstration of doremi in both major and minor scales. A game to help with teaching major scales if youve ever taught music theory, then you would know that it can be difficult to get students to remember the pattern of tones and semitones needed, the scale degree names and for younger students the solfege names in order. Minor scales also have their own unique set of intervals found between the 8 pitches in the scale. Build minor scales natural, harmonic, melodic visihow. Just as it did in major scales, starting the minor scale pattern on a different note will give you a different key signature, a different set of sharps or flats. Each puzzle uses a combination of bass and treble clef.
Included is also the a minor pentatonic scale and the a minor blues scale so that students can practice improvisation if they are ready to begin soloing. In the melodic minor scale, the 6th and 7th notes of the natural minor scale are each raised by one half step when going up the scale. The pattern of half steps and whole steps is changed. Printable violin and viola scales in 1 to 3 octaves the violin case. This product contains 15 3piece puzzles, one for each major scalekey, and a worksheet for recording 3 scalekey signature combinations at a time. However, keep in mind that they return to the natural minor when going down the scale.
These 5 positions are all one and the same natural minor scale but played in different shapes and areas on the fretboard to give you the freedom to play the scale all over the neck and improvise without restrictions. The solution below shows the a minor scale notes, intervals and scale degrees on the piano, treble clef and bass clef the lesson steps then explain how to identify the a minor scale note interval positions, choose the note names, and scale degree names for a quick summary of this topic, have a look at natural minor scale. List of all natural minor scales piano music theory. To convert a natural minor scale into melodic minor, raise both the sixth and seventh notes by a half step. The scale that is created by playing all the notes in a minor key signature is a natural minor scale.
The caged guitar system bible pdf with audio luthiers. Major and minor scales are variations of the diatonic scale, which is a musical scale built with intervals of 5 whole steps and 2 half steps. The fundamental scales to play over a minor key guitarhabits. You can make a major and a minor scale starting with any note on the piano. In the second example the major scale begins on g and the minor scale starts on e.
Minor scales and keys conjure feelings of sorrow or tension. In the first example the major scale begins on c and the minor scale begins on a. In the example below, study the prepared example beginning on the note c. It is the third note that makes all the difference between a.
Understanding minor scales in this brief tutorial we are going to try to demystify minor scales. Clicking the first of the links above will get you to a handout rather than a worksheet covering the whole and half step intervals that combine to create major and minor scales. Learn about major scales, how they differ from minor, and how to. Minor scale simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Translating to sharp, when the note needs to be raised by one semitone. The specific notes that are close together is what makes the major scale pattern.
Piano major scales fingerings sheet music for piano download free. Help your students to understand all key signatures. Minor scales minor scales keys are used by composers when they wish to express a different mood than those characterized my major scales in music. Short name without a leading note and number of chords of a given type are given in and the respectively. Jazz piano basics practice guide pdf practice plans. Another way to think of a natural minor scale is simply a major scale started on the sixth degree and finished on the sixth an octave above.