If I were to ask you for a list of sad songs, what would come to mind? Perhaps you would say Moody River by Pat Boone, maybe Eva Cassidy's Songbird. What about Eric Clapton's Tears in Heaven? Elton John wrote "Sad Songs Say So Much." So true and then there is the music structure to look at because for sure minor chords sound sad or mysterious in many ways.
What is a relative minor chord you ask? Well, every major chord, scale or key has a relative minor chord, scale or key. So for every MAJOR KEY, there is a RELATIVE MINOR KEY that also shares the same key signature.
Each relative minor scale begins on the 6th degree (Aeolian) of the RELATIVE MAJOR SCALE. The 6th note is the keynote (first note played) of the minor scale and the note from which the scale gets its name.
C Major and A Minor
D Major and B Minor
E Major and C# Minor
F Major and D Minor
G Major and E Minor
A Major and F# Minor
B Major and G# Minor
D Flat/ C# Major and B Flat Minor
E Flat/ D# Major and C Minor
G Flat/ F# Major and E Flat Minor
A Flat/ G# Major and F Minor
B Flat/ A# Major and G Minor
STEPS TO PLAYING A MINOR SCALE:
1. Find the relative major key of the minor scale that you want to play.
2. Play the relative major key starting and ending on the sixth degree. (the sixth degree of the relative major key should be the keynote of the minor scale that you want to play. You can also verify the relative major key by counting 3 half steps to the right. If it takes more or less than 3 half steps to get to the relative major key, then the relative major key that you have chosen is not correct.)
So, now we’ve learned that the relative minor key, like the relative minor chord, begins and ends on the sixth note of a major scale. Here’s how you find a major key’s relative minor key. Find the sixth degree of the major scale. Starting there, playing the notes of the major scale all the way ‘til you hit the sixth degree one octave higher. Here’s an example using the key of C:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6
C D E F G A B C D E F G A
So you just found the relative minor of C major: The Key of A minor: The scale itself is a minor scale. Minor scales differ from the major scale in that they come in different flavors. That is, there are a handful of them. This one is the natural minor scale.
Then there is The Harmonic Minor Scale:
One of the strongest forces in Western music is the pull from the V chord to the I chord. By raising the lowered seventh of the natural minor back to a natural seventh, you make the dominant chord major rather than minor.
Harmonic Minor: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7 (8)
C Harmonic Minor: C D Eb F G Ab B ©
The Melodic Minor Scale:
The melodic minor scale exists for melodic reasons. The b6 is raised to a natural 6 in the melodic minor but only when ascending. When descending, the need for the strong melodic pull from the natural 7 to 8 is gone, so the melodic minor is returned to its natural state: the natural minor scale, complete with b6 and b7. So in this respect, the melodic minor is a unique case in western music; a scale that is different in its ascending and descending forms.
Melodic Minor Scale Pattern and C Melodic Scale:
1 2 b3 4 5 6 7 (8) b7 b6 5 4 b3 2 1
C D Eb F G A B (C) Bb Ab G F Eb D C
You have now learned Natural, Harmonic and Melodic Minor Scales. Believe me, there’s still more minor scales to learn.
I have been playing music with many talented musicians for a very long time. I love all genres of music, especially jazz and blues. I teach piano to all ages and at all levels.
