Therefore, the seventh tone of the natural minor scale is NOT considered as a leading note. …the interval between the seventh and first tone of the scale (which is Bb and C in this case): In the natural minor scale (using the C natural minor scale as a reference): The seventh tone of the scale is described as a leading note when it’s a half-step below the first tone of the scale. …is identical with the lower tetrachord of the C melodic minor scale: The lower tetrachord of the C harmonic minor scale: The harmonic and melodic minor scales have identical lower tetrachords. The lower tetrachord consists of the first four notes in the scale, while the upper tetrachord consists of the last four notes in the scale. #1 – Lower TetrachordsĮvery traditional scale is divided into two tetrachords: the lower tetrachord of four notes and the upper tetrachord of four notes. The Similarities Between The Harmonic And Melodic Minor ScalesĪlthough the harmonic and melodic minor scale are similar in many ways, we’ll be exploring two of the similarities between these minor scales.
Recommendation: Check out our music theory digital download collection. “Check Out All The Melodic Minor Scales On The Keyboard…” Raising the sixth and seventh tones of the A natural minor scale: Raising the sixth and seventh tones of the natural minor scale produces the melodic minor scale. Just like the harmonic minor scale, the melodic minor scale is derived from the modification of the natural minor scale. “Check Out Every Other Harmonic Minor Scale On The Keyboard…” Raising the seventh tone of the A natural minor scale: The harmonic minor scale is a variety of the minor scale that is derived by the modification of the natural minor scale by raising the seventh tone by a half-step. A Short Note On The Harmonic And Melodic Minor ScalesĪlthough the natural minor scale is commonly associated with the minor key, there are two other minor scale varieties that are associated with the minor key: the harmonic and melodic minor scales. But before we go into the relationship between these scales in terms of the similarities and differences between them, let’s refresh our minds on these minor scales. If your answer to the question above is yes, then this lesson is for you. But on the way down, the scale is the same as the natural minor - that is, there are no extra sharps apart from the F# that is already in the key signature.Are you interested in knowing the relationship between the harmonic and melodic minor scales? On the way up, the 6th and 7th notes of the scale are sharpened. The melodic minor scale pattern is a bit more complicated because it is usually played differently on the way up to how it is played on the way down. So in E Harmonic minor, the sixth note of the scale would be a D# instead of a D: E Harmonic Minor This means that it goes up by one half-step (semitone), compared to the equivalent note in the natural minor scale. In the harmonic minor, the 6th note of the scale is sharpened. So for E natural minor, all notated Fs become F#s because there is one sharp in the key signature.īut all other notes stay the same: E Natural Minor In the natural minor scale, you just play the notes that are indicated by the key signature. You will need to use different finger patterns to play these scales on the violin. You can think of them as three different 'flavours'!Įach type of minor scale uses a different note pattern, so it has a distinct, recognisable sound. There are three main types of minor scale: natural minor, melodic minor and harmonic minor.