What does this mean?

[Max Headroom]

"Compose an eight-measure melody in the key of F, using the D minor scale."

I only know a little about keys and scales, and I don't understand what this statement is telling me to do. Is it telling me to use the Phrygian mode of D minor or something? If not, what notes should I be using? Thanks.

[Nax]

Use the notes of D minor scale.
D E F G A Bb C
which are the same as the F Major scale.

Every major scale has an associated minor scale that has the exact same notes. In the case of F Major, its associated minor scale is D minor.

There is some specific terminology related to this relationship between major and minor scales which someone with more knowledge than me can remind us of.

What the instruction means is that if you compose a melody using the notes in the D minor scale, you would be composing a melody that would be in the key of F Major too because those two scales are equivalent.

The rule for finding a Major scale's associated (enharmonic?) minor scale is:
The minor scale equal to a key's Major scale is one step and a half lower than the Major key.

For example, C Major is equivalent to A minor. On the piano keyboard both of these scales use only the white keys.

[memyselfandus]

Yes D minor is just the relative minor of F major.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relative_key

[Nax]

"Relative Key"

That's it.

Thanks meyselfandus

[llatham]

"Compose an eight-measure melody in the key of F, using the D minor scale."

It means you are studying with an idiot, or looking at online sources made by idiots, etc.

I only know a little about keys and scales, and I don't understand what this statement is telling me to do. Is it telling me to use the Phrygian mode of D minor or something? If not, what notes should I be using? Thanks.

It's telling you you should be studying something, or with someone, else.

Did it ask for harmony? If there's no harmony, and you're doing something like:

D D A A G F E D E A F E D D D

Then you're not writing in the key of F.

Very likely, whoever created the example doesn't understand (or recognize) that the Key Signature of one flat *can be* F Major, or D minor.

So what they're probably trying to tell you is to use the *key signature* for F Major (which is the same as D minor) and compose a melody using the D minor scale - to produce music in D minor.

In defence of the exercise's creator, they might be trying to point out that *if* you use the Key of F Major, writing a melody that focuses on D minor will cause it to be D minor. So it might be trying to prove the point that a scale can make the music sound like its in the key of the scale, and not necessarily sound like the key of the signature.

But I doubt that's the point.

HTH,
Steve

[kovacs]

It really depends on the context. If the task comes right after a discussion of, say, harmonic minor scales, then all hell breaks loose.

[jopy]

It really depends on the context. If the task comes right after a discussion of, say, harmonic minor scales, then all hell breaks loose.

indeed, i've heard many a jazz musician who thinks of every major scale in relative minor keys so they can pick up those color tones for the harmonic and melodic minor scales.

[Max Headroom]

Thanks for all the info guys. I want to reply to one in particular.

It means you are studying with an idiot, or looking at online sources made by idiots, etc.

While judging a person in such a way based on a single statement is a bit extreme, I do find it slightly ironic that the instruction came from "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music Theory." However, I think the title implies that the reader is the idiot, not the author.

It's telling you you should be studying something, or with someone, else.

I just want to say here, for anyone else reading this thread, that the rest of the book has been amazingly informative and eye-opening. It is extremely well written, and I can certainly forgive a single flaw (or even a couple). I am learning a tremendous amount and one ambiguous sentence doesn't change that.

Did it ask for harmony? If there's no harmony, and you're doing something like:

I haven't reached the harmony part yet.

Very likely, whoever created the example doesn't understand (or recognize) that the Key Signature of one flat *can be* F Major, or D minor.

I'm sure he understands, since he included a chart showing the relationship.

So what they're probably trying to tell you is to use the *key signature* for F Major (which is the same as D minor) and compose a melody using the D minor scale - to produce music in D minor.

Thank you. I think this must be exactly what is meant. He had given a lengthy discussion of key signatures in a previous chapter. I figure he was trying to connect the information contained in several chapters in this one exercise. I just didn't get that at first.

In defence of the exercise's creator, they might be trying to point out that *if* you use the Key of F Major, writing a melody that focuses on D minor will cause it to be D minor. So it might be trying to prove the point that a scale can make the music sound like its in the key of the scale, and not necessarily sound like the key of the signature.

But I doubt that's the point.

Whether that was his intent or not, I can't say, but it sounds reasonable. Either way, thanks very much for your explanation. It was quite helpful, despite the heavy dose of judgment.