Understanding Minor Scales: Natural, Harmonic, and Melodic – AP Music Theory Study Guide
Introduction
Hey there, melody masters! 🦸♂️🎶 Ready to dive into the enchanting universe of minor scales? Buckle up because we’re about to explore the hauntingly beautiful─yet often misunderstood─world of natural, harmonic, and melodic minor scales. Think of these as the three siblings in a musical family: each has its own unique flair and personality. 🎼💃
The Three Amigos: Natural, Harmonic, and Melodic Minors
Every major scale has a shadowy counterpart called a minor scale. Major and minor keys sharing the same tonic are known as parallel keys. Now, onto the trio of minor scales:
Natural Minor: The natural minor scale is like the Eeyore of the musical world, bringing a moody, melancholic vibe to the table. Its pattern is: whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step. To get the natural minor from a major scale, just flatten the 3rd, 6th, and 7th scale degrees. For instance, A natural minor (A B C D E F G A) is the relative minor of C major and uses the same notes, just starting on A.
Harmonic Minor: To give our natural minor a bit more drama, we sharp the 7th scale degree, turning it into the harmonic minor. This scale has a distinct flavor thanks to the tension created between the 7th scale degree and the tonic. It's like adding a pinch of spice to your favorite dish. 🍛
Melodic Minor: The melodic minor is the overachiever, raising both the 6th and 7th degrees of the natural minor on the way up, but reverting to the natural minor on the descent. It’s like the Clark Kent of scales─mild-mannered one way, superpowered the other.
Why the Melodic Minor? 🚀
Great question! Originally, the melodic minor scale was designed to make melodies smoother and easier to sing or play, avoiding that awkward leap between a flattened 6th and a sharped 7th in the harmonic minor. Think of it as the musical equivalent of buttering your bread for easier chewing. 🍞🧈
When To Use Each Minor Scale
Here’s the thing─composers generally don’t write entire pieces in natural, harmonic, or melodic minor. Instead, they mix and match these scales within a piece depending on the musical context. The key signature will always reflect the natural minor, but notes are often altered to fit the harmonic or melodic needs of the moment. So, when someone says a piece is in D minor, they’re referring to a blend of all three minor scales.
Scale Degrees of a Minor Scale
Understanding the minor scale degrees is as straightforward as remembering your friends’ quirky habits. Each degree has a specific role:
- Tonic: The home base; where every musical journey begins and ends.
- Supertonic: Adds tension, like a cliffhanger in your favorite show.
- Mediant: A bridge or transition, melodramatic like a soap opera twist.
- Subdominant: Brings stability, kinda like your go-to comfort food.
- Dominant: Second in command after the tonic; it's like the PB to your J.
- Submediant: Acts like the sidekick, transitioning between important points.
- Leading Tone: Leads you back to the tonic like a loyal tour guide.
Chord Building on Minor Scale Degrees
The chords you build on minor scale degrees depend on which minor scale you’re using. Here are some quick tips:
- The tonic (i) chord is always minor, due to the flat 3rd.
- The supertonic (ii) will usually be diminished.
- The mediant (III) can be major or augmented.
- The dominant (V), ideally, uses a raised 7th for that leading-tone pull.
Practice Time!
Okay, music detectives! Grab your magnifying glasses and identify this scale: 🕵️♂️🔍 Imagine you’re given a major scale with the key signature of D major. The relative minor? You guessed it: B minor (three half steps down from D). Write out the natural minor scale (B natural minor), add the sharp 7th for harmonic minor (A#), and raise both the 6th and 7th degrees on the way up for melodic minor (G# and A#).
Solfege in Minor
Solfege can help you sight-sing minor scales more swiftly:
- Tonic: Do
- Supertonic: Re
- Mediant: Me
- Subdominant: Fa
- Dominant: So
- Submediant: Le
- Leading Tone: Ti
For sharped notes, simply adjust accordingly. E.g., transform "Le" back to "La" when raising the 6th.
Conclusion
There you go! Now you’re fluent in minor scales and ready to impress Mozart’s ghost with your musical prowess! 🎻👻 Remember, whether you're composing a somber sonata or jamming on your guitar, these scales are your trusty toolkit. Keep practicing, and soon you’ll be navigating minor scales with ease. 🎵🚀
Happy practicing! 🎼🎉
