How To Write Natural Minor Scales
Musical Modes
In the lesson on major key signatures, I introduced the concept of tonality or key, which is determined by what pitch sounds like the “home base” of any given passage of music. So when we say the tonality of a piece is C, we mean it is in the key of C. But how do we know if it’s C major or C minor? That’s where the term modality comes in. Put another way, tonality refers to the specific pitch (A, A-sharp, G, G-sharp, etc.) that is the tonal center or key note of the music. Modality refers to the specific scale type. So, while the tonality of a passage might be C, it is the modality that tells us whether it is C major or C minor.
A mode is a distinct arrangement of whole steps and half steps. We’ve already learned the major scale, which is a mode, although we don’t generally refer to it that way. There are several modes in our musical system; we’ll start with the minor mode, and its related minor scales.
The minor scale exists in three forms. The first is the natural minor scale, which is a pattern of whole steps and half steps identical to the pattern of white keys on the piano keyboard beginning on A. The best way to learn the WS-HS pattern of the natural minor scale is to learn that the half steps are from 
– 
, and 
– 
.
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The Relative Minor Method for Spelling Natural Minor Scales
It’s obvious that the notes for the A natural minor scale are exactly the same as those for the C major scale, but starting on A instead of C. Every major scale has its own corresponding natural minor scale, called the relative minor. A-minor is the relative minor of C major. To find the relative minor of any major scale, simply go to of that major scale. Spell that major scale beginning on 
, and the result is a natural minor scale. In other words, of every major scale is 
of a natural minor scale. If you need to spell a certain natural minor scale, say, G-sharp minor, first figure out what major scale G-sharp occurs as . This major scale is the relative major of G-sharp minor.
The easiest way to find the relative major of a minor scale is to go up a minor third (3 half steps) from the given minor scale’s key note. In this case, up a minor third from G-sharp is B. B, then, is the relative major of G-sharp minor. (Note also that G-sharp is of B major.) Now, spell a B major scale, but begin with the G-sharp. The result is a G-sharp natural minor scale:
This audio example plays a B major scale followed by a G-sharp natural minor scale.
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If you start with a major scale, you can find its relative minor scale by going down a minor third. Below is a summary of the relationship between relative minor and relative major scales. All four points listed are saying essentially the same thing, but from different angles. Use the G-sharp minor example above as a reference. Then, try to figure out other relative major/minor relationships:
- The relative minor of a major scale begins on of that major scale.
- The relative minor of a major scale is a minor third below that major scale.
- The relative major of a minor scale begins on
of that minor scale. - The relative major of a minor scale is a minor third above that minor scale.
Now that we have this information, we can complete the circle of fifths chart with the relative minor keys. The key signature for a minor key is the same as the key signature for its relative major as shown on the circle of fifths chart below. The lowercase letters on the inside of the circle are the relative minor keys. (It is common to indicate minor keys with lowercase letters.)
The Parallel Minor Method for Spelling Natural Minor Scales
Some people find it easier to write minor scales by converting a major scale to a minor scale. Here’s how it works: Start with a major scale, then lower , , and 
by a half step. Major and minor scales that have the same letter name (e.g., C major and C minor) are said to be parallel. That is, C major is the parallel major of C minor; C minor is the parallel minor of C major.
If you find this method easier, just be sure that you don’t confuse this method of writing natural minor scales with the relative minor method. Furthermore, there is a common error that students make when first learning how to write minor scales using this method:
- When lowering scale degrees 3, 6, and 7, you don’t necessarily add a flat symbol. Lowering means doing whatever is necessary to make the scale degrees a half step lower:
The accidentals in parentheses (called “courtesy accidentals”) are not really necessary. I put them there to show you that, in order to create a B natural minor scale from its parallel major, we have to lower , , and 
. In this case lowering these scale degrees means removing the sharps from the B major scale.
In the next lesson, I’ll introduce the other two forms of the minor scale. It’s important that you thoroughly understand building natural minor scales before moving on.
Download a pdf copy of all of the minor scales.
Download a pdf copy of the circle of fifths chart.
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