Minor Scale: Definition, Characteristics and Types

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FEMUSINDO.com - Minor scale is a type of diatonic scale that consists of eight notes and has an interval pattern of 1-½-1-1-½-1-1.

In music theory, the minor scale can be seen as the sixth musical mode in the major scale. The minor scale is divided into two, namely harmonic and melodic minor.

The minor scale is sometimes considered to have a sound that tends to be sadder than the major scale.

The minor scale has characteristics, namely starting and ending with the note A or la, has a sad, melancholic, pessimistic, and melancholic impression, sounds less enthusiastic when sung and has another name, namely natural or aeolian minor.

Types of minor scales include the melodic minor scale (descending melodic minor scale and ascending melodic minor scale) and the harmonic minor scale.

Melodic Minor Scale

The melodic minor scale is divided into two, namely ascending melodic and descending melodic

Descending Melodic Minor Scale

The descending melodic minor scale is produced from only the major comparison key signature sometimes known as the natural minor. The original minor scale is summarized as A natural minor: A B C D E F G A'

This distinction is sometimes known as the descending melodic minor scale because it is often used descending from the tonic.

Ascending Melodic Minor Scale

The ascending melodic minor scale is formed by raising the 6th and 7th notes of the scale (or, similarly, flattening the third step of the major scale).

This distinction is used, in particular, for ascending lines, because it has a tendency towards tonic music.

For example, in the ascending melodic minor scale A, the melody of the minor scale is ascending: A B C D E F# G# A'(#=sharp sign).

Harmonic Minor Scale

The harmonic minor is formed by raising the minor scale on the 7th note. For example, in the A minor scale, the harmonic minor scale is: A B C D E F G# A'.

This scale is used to produce harmony because it contains the main dominant chord and the minor subdominant chord.

The minor scale uses the same starting signature as the major scale. The starting signature that matches the interval pattern of a natural minor scale is considered the starting signature for that minor scale.

Major and minor scales that have the same starting signature are called relative. So, the C major scale is the relative major of the A minor scale, and the C minor scale is the relative minor of the Es major scale. (*)