Minor

It's not that there are 3 different minor scales; it's that there are 3 variations of the same scale.

• that is, some notes of the minor scale may be changed around to achieve some kind of melodic harmony.
• note: that there are other forms of minor scales too. There's the pentatonic minor, Hungarian minor, Jazz minor, Neapolitan and so on.

Natural minor (Aeolian)

1-2-♭3-4-5-♭6-♭7

From the perspective of the major scale, the 6th scale degree is the relative minor.

• that is, if we take a C Major scale, our 6th scale degree is the A. If we then treat that A as the root and continue playing the same notes that we were already playing in the C Major scale, then we will have derived the natural minor.

Chords that sound nice with the scale:

• The min7 chord is associated with this scale (due to minor 3rd, minor 7th)
  • ex. C-E♭-G-B♭

Harmonic minor

1-2-♭3-4-5-♭6-7

The harmonic minor "restores" the seventh as a major seventh. The consequence of this is that the 6-7 interval has an augmented second

The scale is called the harmonic minor scale because it is a common foundation for harmonies (chords) in minor keys.

The major scale features a half-step between the 7th and 8th notes of the scale. This interval has a sort of tension-resolution effect. On the other hand, the natural minor scale doesn't have this same feature, since there is a whole step between the 7th and 8th scale degrees.

• the only difference between the dominant 7 scale and the harmonic minor scale is the 3rd.

This is why the harmonic minor scale exists: it allows us to add that tension-resolution interval to the minor scale. The only difference between it and the natural minor is the raised 7th.

• As a result, when playing in a minor scale, the 7th is only really sharpened when we are going for that tension-resolution effect.

The only difference from the natural minor is that the 7th is sharpened, giving us a leading tone, making it want to point back to the tonic

Chords that sound nice with the scale:

• minMaj7 (minor 3rd, major 7th)
  • ex. C Eb G B
  • this can be used as the i
  • this works because the chord is formed by the i, iii, v and vii degrees of the harmonic minor scale.
• dim
  • can be extended by adding a minor 7th (D°⁷/Dmin7♭5)

Melodic minor

• Ascending: 1-2-♭3-4-5-6-7
• Descending: 8-♭7-♭6-5-4-♭3-2

A problem arises with the harmonic minor: the interval between the 6th and 7th scale degrees is 3 semitones, which is rather large.

• ex. in A harmonic minor, this interval is F-G♯
• To compensate, we can simply raise the 6th so that the interval is only a major 2nd
  • doing this creates a smoother melody when we are leading towards a tonic. However, when we are moving away from a tonic, the natural minor is typically used.

Characterized by the flat 3rd, sharp 6th and sharp 7th

ques: what's the association between natural minor and Dorian?

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