Natural minor scale

Definition

The natural minor scale is a seven-note scale that follows a specific pattern of whole and half steps, creating a distinctive sound characterized by its darker, more melancholic tonality. It is derived from the major scale but starts on the sixth degree, resulting in a unique set of intervals. Understanding this scale is crucial for harmonic analysis, creating progressions, constructing triads, and recognizing intervals and chords.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The natural minor scale follows the interval pattern: whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole, whole.
2. The natural minor scale's tonic triad is built from the first, third, and fifth degrees of the scale, typically producing a minor chord.
3. In harmonic analysis, the natural minor scale functions as a framework for understanding tonal relationships and modulations.
4. When constructing triads from the natural minor scale, inversions can create different harmonic textures that enhance musical expression.
5. Recognizing intervals within the natural minor scale is essential for identifying the distinct sound qualities of its chords.

Review Questions

• How does the natural minor scale differ from the major scale in terms of interval structure and tonal quality?
  • The natural minor scale differs from the major scale primarily in its interval structure and tonal quality. The natural minor follows a pattern of whole and half steps that results in a darker sound compared to the brighter and more resolved character of the major scale. Specifically, while the major scale has a major third interval between its first and third degrees, the natural minor features a minor third interval, contributing to its more melancholic tonality.
• Discuss how the natural minor scale can influence harmonic progression choices when composing music.
  • The natural minor scale influences harmonic progression choices significantly due to its unique set of chords derived from its degrees. Composers often utilize the tonic (i), subdominant (iv), and dominant (v) chords to create movement within a piece. Since the v chord is typically a minor chord in the natural minor scale, composers may choose to incorporate alterations such as raising the seventh degree to create a leading tone for stronger resolutions in harmonic progressions.
• Evaluate how understanding the natural minor scale enhances your ability to recognize and analyze complex harmonic structures in music.
  • Understanding the natural minor scale greatly enhances recognition and analysis of complex harmonic structures by providing a foundational framework for identifying key relationships and chord functions. By knowing how each degree of the natural minor can be harmonized into triads and how those triads interact within progressions, musicians can discern how composers achieve emotional depth and tension. This knowledge also allows for better improvisation skills and aids in transposing pieces into different keys while maintaining their harmonic integrity.

Related terms

Harmonic Minor Scale:

A variation of the natural minor scale that raises the seventh degree by a half step, creating a leading tone that enhances harmonic movement.

Diatonic Scale: A seven-note scale composed of five whole steps and two half steps, which includes both major and minor scales.

Relative Major: The major scale that shares the same key signature as a given minor scale, starting on the third degree of the natural minor scale.