It can be used as the basis for various musical groups’ minor scales. The ascending melodic minor scale is the fifth mode of the acoustic scale. The melodic minor scale is formed by two solutions that use the ascending and descending phases. Other than the raised 7th degree, notes on degrees other than V may include the diminished triad on VI, which has a dominant function. For instance, the dominant chord in the A minor key is known as the harmonic minor scale V. The harmonic minor scale is a common foundation for harmony in minor keys. The three semitone steps are separated by the major seventh and octave/keynote.Īlthough various hemitonic scales might be called minor in certain cases, the term is most commonly associated with the relative minor pentatonic scale. The major second, minor third, fourth, and fifth intervals are in relation to the keynote. It consists of half and whole tone steps. The a-harmonic minor scale is a bit different from the natural minor scale. This construction leads to the 7th degree of the scale being a leading tone to the tonic. A harmonic minor scale can be built with the 3rd and 6th degree of the parallel major scale being lowered by one semitone. The harmonic minor scale has the same notes as the traditional minor scale, except that the seventh degree is lowered by one semitone. They are also important to distinguish between the other minor scales. The intervals are related to the major second, minor third, fourth, fifth, and minor sixth scales. If we take a series of half steps (hs) and whole steps (ws) steps, the natural minor scale is constructed as follows: ws hs ws ws ws hs ws ws A Natural minor scale contains the same notes as the major scale, except the root note is A instead of C. This key’s relative minor begins on the 6th scale or step. The Natural Minor Scale:Ī natural minor scale is a diatonic scale that begins at the sixth degree of its major scale. The main difference between a major scale and a minor scale is that a major scale has a natural third. In practice, minor scales can only have a minor third, while major scales have a natural third.

The main difference between minor and major scales is that the former has a third scale degree. How is a Major Scale different from a Minor Scale? How is a Major Scale different from a Minor Scale?.

Harmonic scale