In this key it would become B natural to C#: That's a nice sound, but a little exotic, and when composers wanted to avoid it they would raise the sixth degree too, making that an ordinary major second. Where you see the * we've created a melodic augmented second by moving directly from Bb, the sixth degree of the scale, to C#, the seventh degree. When we alter the seventh degree that way the result is "harmonic minor:"īut suppose we raised the C in a place where Bb came just before, like this: But not necessarily everywhere - only when we want that V chord (which is A major in this key of D minor). Suppose we really want the harmonic effect of the authentic V-i cadence? To do that we have to raise the C to C#. So we use a VII chord (the major chord built on the seventh degree in natural minor, which is C in this key), and that gives this a sort of modal folk-like quality: If we add some chords to that you'll see that we aren't able to use an "authentic" cadence, the strongest type (V- I or V-i), because that would require a C# in this key and the C is natural. The three terms refer to the motives for changing those pitches.įor example, a natural minor tune would have no accidentals (marked sharps or flats) outside its key signature. That is, one is more likely in minor to run into situations where altering a scale pitch seems like a good idea. Really there's just one minor, but it is more variable than the major mode. Does the name imply that its supposed to be just for melodies?-PezĪnswer: These terms: "natural," "harmonic," and "melodic" minor, are a little misleading, I think. Question: Hello guys, Ive spent some time playing with the natural minor and harmonic minor, but how does one use the ascending minor melodic tastefully in writing in the classical style? Specifially chord progressions and key changes? It seems to open up some rather unusual chords and I find in practice its hard to get it to sound consonant when you move away from the primary chords. The simplest method is to remember the following mantra: A melodic minor scale starts minor, turns major, and ends minor again.Writing in melodic minor Writing in melodic minor I've put it here in treble notation and a piano diagram. Play the following notes on an instrument and listen to it. The melodic minor, however, continues on and finishes on C, which means the final three notes are still dark and minor in tonality. This means it actually sounds like the relative major for a little while (in this case, Eb major is the relative major) because the two scales share that key signature. This is to ensure the second half of the ascent sounds bright and major.īut the descent, does not feature these accidentals. On the way up (which is what this image depicts), you'll see the Ab and Bb are cancelled out by natural signs. Look at the key signature here - it's got 3 flat notes. Instead of just following the same pattern it used on the way up, it changes completely. On the way back down, the melodic minor scale takes a bit of a wander out of what you'd possibly expect to happen. First half sounds dark and minor, and second half sounds bright and major. It sounds minor because C-D-Eb is the same as the start of the Harmonic Minor.īut then do you notice the rest of the way up it continues just the same as if it was the C major scale? Do you see the E flat here? Play this scale at an instrument if you can.
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