The Minor Scale of Western Music
The Minor Scale is another of five widely used scales in Western music. It was borrowed and filtered from the Romans, and originally used by the Christian Church for somber music. It has an dark feeling. It would be used during the part where we admit our sin, the the Major Key would announce the uplifting message of salvation.
The easiest way to see this scale is in the Minor Key of A. This key is called A because it’s first note is A. The scale looks like this -
The easiest way to see this scale is in the Minor Key of A. This key is called A because it’s first note is A. The scale looks like this -
The dark large notes are the notes of the scale, the smaller gray ones are not. On a piano these would be the white keys, with the gray ones being the black keys. On a guitar the Whole Steps would mean two frets to the next note, a Half Step would be the next fret after the one you just played.
This scale when started at A has no sharps (symbolized with a “#” - a pitch higher - c# means the note C but one fret higher) nor are there any flats (symbolized with a “ b” a one fret lower than the named note). All of the notes are “natural” or fall on the fret that matches the note without being sharp or flat.
Now lets say you were to start on the note E. As E is the first note, you would be playing in the Minor scale of E. Then you count up WHWWHWW.
This scale when started at A has no sharps (symbolized with a “#” -
Now lets say you were to start on the note E. As E is the first note, you would be playing in the Minor scale of E. Then you count up WHWWHWW.
Whole Step
2 frets
2 frets
Whole Step
2 frets
2 frets
Whole Step
2 frets
2 frets
Whole Step
2 frets
2 frets
Whole Step
2 frets
2 frets
Half Step
1 Fret
1 Fret
Half Step
1 Fret
1 Fret
Whole Step
2 frets
2 frets
Whole Step
2 frets
2 frets
Whole Step
2 frets
2 frets
Whole Step
2 frets
2 frets
Whole Step
2 frets
2 frets
Half Step
1 Fret
1 Fret
Half Step
1 Fret
1 Fret
Now lets look at the Key of D. Start on the note D, count up WHWWHWW
Whole Step
2 frets
2 frets
Whole Step
2 frets
2 frets
Whole Step
2 frets
2 frets
Whole Step
2 frets
2 frets
Whole Step
2 frets
2 frets
Half Step
1 Fret
1 Fret
Half Step
1 Fret
1 Fret
Notice the B flat (Bb). I did not type A sharp (A#). A sharp and B flat are the same sound, and are in the same place on the instrument. So how do you know which to call it, and why? The answer is straight forward. The theory of the scale dictates the steps, plus in this system you can only have one expression of a note in the scale, and you have to express all the notes.. In this case there is already an A note. The scale does not land on B natural, yet you need to have a B. So the scale dictates that in this case that sound on that fret is called B flat, not A sharp. You can even have a case where say the scale calls for E flat, and then the F needs to be F flat. F flat as a sound is the same spot as E natural, so you would play the E as a flat, and the F would be played where the E normally is, because the theory and scale moved the two notes over.