Excellent post. I have a question. I am confused with the different types of minor scales.dirtystudios wrote:the chords of any given scale are represented by roman numerals for the scale degree of the root of that chord. for instance in the key of c major, the scale begins and ends on c and a c chord (ceg) would be represented by the roman numeral I. an f chord (fac) in the key of c would be referred to as the IV in this key, and so on. here's the chart of typical chord progressions as most commonly seen in the major scale of contemporary western music. this is of course only a guildine as to what is commonly heard, and is by no way a rule to be stricktly adheared to.
(chord notes in c)
I (ceg) - may move to any chord
ii (dfa) - may move to V or vii
iii (egb) - may move to ii, IV or vi
IV (fac) - may move to I, ii, V or vii
V (gbd) - may move to I or vi
vi (ace) - may move to ii, IV, V or vii
vii (bdf) - may move to I or V
in the minor mode it is slightly different
(chord notes in a, c's relative minor)
i (ace) - may move to any chord
ii (bdf) - V or vii
III (ceg) - may move to ii, iv, V or vii
iv (dfa) - may move to ii, V, vii
V (egb) - may move to i or Vi
VI (fac) - may move to ii, iv, V or vii
vii (gbd) - may move to i, V or VI
another cool bit of info when in the minor mode is using a melodic or harmonic minor scale instead of the natural minor. for instance the natural a minor scale begins and ends on a and uses only the white keys on the piano, like so:
a b c d e f g a
however the harmonic minor raises the seventh scale degree a half step, meaning that you would play a g sharp (the black key just before the a) rather than a g natural so the scale would be:
a b c d e f g# a
in the melodic minor, we alter it again, but it's a bit different. when a melody is going up the scale we raise the sixth and seventh scale degrees a half step each, but when it's going down, we lower them back to the natural minor, so:
a b c d e f# g# a g(natural) f(natural) e d c b a
try using the harmonic minor when playing chords in a minor key and try using the melodic minor when playing melodies in a minor key.
music theory man...it goes on and on and on and on...
for example, starting on A and going up the white keys =
w-h-w-w-h-w-w The Aeolian Mode
But there's also Dorian (w-h-w-w-w-h-w) and another one I can't think of.
So when someone says "minor scale" which one are they referring to?
I know there is harmonic minor, melodic minor, and natural minor, are these the only 3? And what modes do they refer to. Thanks.
