Minor scales

Minor scales consist of 7 notes. Each scale starts on one of the 12 notes between A♭ and G.

Unlike major scales, there are 3 different patterns for minor scales: natural, harmonic and melodic.

The natural minor scale ascends from the first note of the scale in steps in a set pattern of tones and semi-tones as follows: tone, semi-tone, tone, tone, semi-tone, tone, tone.

A semi-tone is the interval between adjacent keys, white and black, on a piano keyboard, e.g. C to D♭, D# to E, or E to F; and a tone is 2 semi-tones e.g. A to B, or A♭ to B♭.

The harmonic minor scale is the same as the natural minor scale except that that the 7th note of the scale is raised by a semi-tone both ascending and descending:

The melodic minor scale is the same as the natural minor scale except that that the 6th and 7th notes of the scale are raised by a semi-tone when ascending but not when descending:

Listen to all 3 patterns of the A minor scale and see if you can hear the differences.

Why do we have 3 different patterns?

Well in practice, musicians found that the natural minor key had limitations and it was helpful to raise the 7th note a semi-tone so that it matched the pattern of a major scale where the 7th note is a semi-tone below the tonic note e.g. G# to A as above. So the harmonic pattern emerged.

The harmonic minor worked better to form harmonic sounds in the composition, but when writing a melody composers found that raising the 6th note of the scale as well as the 7th often worked better. But only when the melody was ascending, not descending, and so the melodic minor scale evolved.

Here are all the natural minor scales written on a music stave starting with A♭ minor (natural) and then in ascending order. Note that the pattern of flats (♭) or sharps (#) at the start of each scale is called the “key signature“.

Wait a minute! If you were counting, you might have noticed there are 14 scales here, but we said each one started on one of the 12 notes between A♭ and G!

This is because D# minor and E♭ minor are enharmonic, meaning that the notes sound the same i.e. they are same pitch as each other.

We’ve shown both D# minor and E♭ minor scales because you may come across both.

The same is true of G# minor and A♭ minor because G# and A♭ are also enharmonic.

Why are there no minor scales starting on notes such as A# or G♭?

This is because these other notes are also enharmonic to other notes e.g. A# is the same pitch as B♭ but A# minor requires 7 sharps while B♭ minor requires 5 flats so is easier to read. G♭ is the same pitch as F# but G♭ minor would require double flats which is even worse to read!

An interesting feature of minor scales is that the key signature – the number and pattern of flats (♭) or sharps (#) shown at the start of the music – is the same as the key signature of the major scale starting on the 3rd note of the minor scale.

This works for all the minor scales (check it out if you don’t believe us!) and is a handy way to remember the key signatures of minor scales.

Another interesting feature of key signatures is that flats and sharps are always added to the key signature in a set order which is: B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭ and C♭ for flats; and F#, C#, G#, D#, A# and E# for sharps.

For example:

• D minor has 1 flat: B♭;
• G minor has 2 flats: B♭ and E♭;
• C minor has 3 flats: B♭, E♭ and A♭;
• F minor has 4 flats: B♭, E♭, A♭ and D♭;
• B♭ minor has 5 flats: B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭ and G♭;
• E♭ minor has 6 flats: B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭ and C♭.

• E minor has 1 sharp: F#;
• B minor has 2 sharps: F# and C#;
• F minor has 3 sharps: F#, C# and G#;
• C# minor has 4 sharps: F#, C#, G# and D#;
• G minor has 5 sharps: F#, C#, G#, D# and A#;
• D# minor has 6 sharps: F#, C#, G#, D#, A# and E#.

For scale practice exercises please see our Scale exercises on our google drive.

See also Major scales

Return to Music Scales