KVR Audio

JumpingJackFlash · Post by **JumpingJackFlash** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 9:20 pm

lshea wrote:
Caleb wrote:A minor scale is:
Code: Select all
A B C D E F G# A
No it isn't...

The two minor scales of A are...

Aeolian - A B C D E F G A
Dorian - A B C D E F# G A

This isn't serious, right?
(your just going to confuse people)

BosseJo · Post by **BosseJo** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 9:50 pm

lshea wrote:
Caleb wrote:A minor scale is:
Code: Select all
A B C D E F G# A
No it isn't...

The two minor scales of A are...

Aeolian - A B C D E F G A
Dorian - A B C D E F# G A

What's this nonsense?

BosseJo · Post by **BosseJo** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 9:51 pm

lshea wrote:
Caleb wrote:A minor scale is:
Code: Select all
A B C D E F G# A
No it isn't...

The two minor scales of A are...

Aeolian - A B C D E F G A
Dorian - A B C D E F# G A

What's this nonsense?

liqih · Post by **liqih** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 10:09 pm

A B C D E F G# A = harmonic minor [edited]
Aeolian - A B C D E F G A = natural minor

Dorian - A B C D E F# G A another one of the many minor modes possible

harmonic minor is typical in classical music, jazz, and romantic POP (to put it simple)

nuffink · Post by **nuffink** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 10:16 pm

There are 3 minor scales. In A they are...
Natural Minor A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A
Harmonic Minor A, B, C, D, E, F, G#, A
Melodic Minor A, B, C, D, E, F#, G#, A

The Aolian and Dorian are both modes of the Major scale which are built off keys which also generate minor chords. So's the Phrygian.

JumpingJackFlash · Post by **JumpingJackFlash** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 10:21 pm

liqih wrote:A B C D E F G# A = melodic minor (named also harmonic)

No. A B C D E F G# A is the harmonic minor.

The melodic minor is different and goes A B C D E F# G# A ascending, and
A G F E D C B A descending.

When we talk about "the minor" scale, we typically mean either the harmonic, the melodic or the natural minor.
The dorian mode, which although similar, is not usually classified as "the minor scale", and new comers should not get confused by it.

liqih · Post by **liqih** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 12:21 am

JumpingJackFlash wrote:
liqih wrote:A B C D E F G# A = melodic minor (named also harmonic)
No. A B C D E F G# A is the harmonic minor.

The melodic minor is different and goes A B C D E F# G# A ascending, and
A G F E D C B A descending.

ah yes, I always hated the melodic minor so I mixed the names, <grin>

thanks, I fixed my post

quincy · Post by **quincy** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 3:47 pm

Thanks for this little tutorial Cyniq, I am an absolute beginner and its very useful. Only bought my keyboard (Axiom 49) and started trying to learn about 2 weeks ago (all myself, no tutors or anything) after years of messing around with digital music tech, soft synths, trackers, sampling etc.

Hopefully if I can learn a little from stuff like this, I may be able to produce some noise that might be worth listening to!!

Many thanks for the time and knowledge

dentaldetox · Post by **dentaldetox** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 2:31 pm

Awesome post..I actually read the whole thing, focused and learned something! Thanks!

Ding_ling · Post by **Ding_ling** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 5:59 pm

This is what i been looking for months and months! A simple explanation! CYNIQ - you are a legend my friend. Now i can start producing some tunes and concentrate on my techniqual production.

I'm a happy man

Cyniq · Post by **Cyniq** » Thu Feb 15, 2007 11:18 am

Thanks Ding_ling, dentaldetox and others, I'm glad so many of you found it useful.

Regards,

Steve

exquisiteoath · Post by **exquisiteoath** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 2:58 pm

Great thread. This is exactly the sort of thing that's needed, either (as for myself) a simple refresher, reminder to keep it simple, or for a person without the background as direct shot in the arm of essential theory.

Fantastic job.

waveriderarts · Post by **waveriderarts** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 4:15 pm

Very good, easy to understand post. This summed up almost all of what I already know..... I would love a more advanced course by the same poster.... I usually have such a hard time reading about theory.

Kel · Post by **Kel** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 11:23 pm

Thank you for the tutorial, it opened my mind. I even made a template in FL studio with all the chords in the A major scale. there is a little helper in the piano roll in FL with all the scales and chords, So it was not difficult to guess and compare all the chords guided with this tutorial, again thanks and I will keep an eye on the thread.

JumpingJackFlash · Post by **JumpingJackFlash** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 10:20 pm

I don't want to hijack the thread, but this might be of interest.

Below are the notes of all the major and minor scales.
Note, I strongly recommend you don't rely on this, and you instead find a way to figure out keys on your own.

The notes in bold (1st, 3rd and 5th) represent the notes of the chord of that key. (Actually it's the triad, but don't worry about that for now).

Major Scales/Keys

Cb major: Cb, Db, Eb, Fb, Gb, Ab, Bb, Cb
C major: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C
C# major: C#, D#, E#, F#, G#, A#, B#, C#
Db major: Db, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, C, Db
D major: D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D
Eb major: Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C, D, Eb
E major: E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#, E
F major: F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E, F
F# major: F#, G#, A#, B, C#, D#, E#, F#
Gb major: Gb, Ab, Bb, Cb, Db, Eb, F, Gb
G major: G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G
Ab major: Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, G, Ab
A major: A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#, A
Bb major: Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G, A, Bb
B major: B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A#, B

The major scale is the same both ascending and descending.

Natural Minor Scales/Keys

C minor: C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, C
C# minor: C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A, B, C#
D minor: D, E, F, G, A, Bb, C, D
D# minor: D#, E#, F#, G#, A#, B, C#, D#
Eb minor: Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, Cb, Db, Eb
E minor: E, F#, G, A, B, C, D, E
F minor: F, G, Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F
F# minor: F#, G#, A, B, C#, D, E, F#
G minor: G, A, Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G
G# minor: G#, A#, B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#
Ab minor: Ab, Bb, Cb, Db, Eb, Fb, Gb, Ab
A minor: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A
A# minor: A#, B#, C#, D#, E#, F#, G#, A#
Bb minor: Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, B
B minor: B, C#, D, E, F#, G, A, B

(Note that a minor key shares the same key signature as the major key 3 semitones above it. (And a major key shares the same key signature as the minor key 3 semitones below it). I talk more about key signatures in This Thread.)

Note though, there are 3 different forms of the minor scale. The notes above only form the natural minor (which is the same both ascending and descending)

With the harmonic minor scale (which is used in harmony), you have to raise the seventh note of the scale by one semitone. - This generally means you sharpen the 7th note (or, if it is a flat, you play it as a natural). In the above chart, the seventh note is written in yellow.

So, in the harmonic minor, raise the yellow note by one semitone.

The melodic minor scale (which is used for melodies) is more tricky. This is different depending on whether you are going up (ascending) or going down (descending). When ascending, you have to raise both the sixth and seventh notes by one semitone each (sharpen them). But when descending, you lower them back down to normal and play the natural minor (exactly as in the chart). In the above chart, the sixth note is written in red and the seventh note is written in yellow.

So, in the melodic minor, raise both the red and yellow notes by one semitone each when ascending only, and play them exactly as written above when descending.

Once you have got your head around the basics, I recommend you read through my Introduction to Music Theory which builds on these facts and provides more useful info.

Chords in a key for beginners