When discussing the pattern of intervals characteristic to major scales we noted that each note of the scale must have a different 'letter' name. If you play any other ascending row of eight consecutive naturals you will find many different sequences of intervals but A minor is the only natural minor scale using only the white keys. In 'whole step-half step' notation the interval sequence is written whole step - half step - whole step - whole step - half step - whole step - whole step. If we write down the intervals between the notes rather than the key names then the A minor scale is tone-semitone-tone-tone-semitone-tone-tone, seven intervals between eight notes. What makes this a natural minor scale is the distinctive sequence of tones (whole steps) and semitones (half steps). The key note is called the 'first degree of the scale', B is the 'second degree of the scale', and so on.

As in major scales, each note must bear a different 'letter' name and the different notes are called the degrees of the scale. Music written using the notes of this scale is said to be ' in the key of A minor'. This sequence or row of eight notes is the A natural minor scale, the natural minor scale in which the key-note is A. Starting from the key marked A below middle C (that is, the key C with an asterisk), play the naturals (the white keys) in ascending order, A, B, C, D, E, F, G and finish on the A above middle C. We have marked the notes A in pink on the keyboard below and our first natural minor scale is going to begin on A. It is called the natural minor scale or ancient minor scale. We are now going to look at another scale that is important in Western music. In lesson 8 we first met the major scale. The Natural Minor Scale :: Chart of Natural Minor Scales :: Double Sharps & Flats :: Harmonic MinorР”В¬hart of Harmonic Minor Scales :: Melodic Minor :: Chart of Melodic Minor Scales :: Relative & Parallel Major & Minor Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1722-1834) English poet

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Melodic minor scales for flute