Chord Pattern for a Minor Scale ?

[LowDown Hal]

I know that a Major Scale is

1 = I = Maj
2 = ii = min
3 = iii = min
4 = IV = Maj
5 = v = Dominant
6 = vi = min
7 = vii = diminished

I also know that the minor scale can be thought of as

6 =
7 =
1 =
2 =
3 =
4 =
5 =


FOR EXAMPLE the Eb Major Scale and corresponding chords are
Eb Maj7
F min7
G min7
Ab Maj7
Bb dom7
C min7
D dim7

and the C minor scale is
C
D
Eb
F
G
Ab
Bb

so do the chords track for the minor scale? I assume they must
C min7
D dim7
Eb Maj7
F min7
G min7
Ab Maj7
Bb dom7

THANKS

[Pacman]

the VII chord in major isn't diminished, it's min7b5 (sometimes called half-diminished)


In order to answer your question, you've got to be more specific. The minor scale used for harmony is usually the harmonic minor scale, rather than the natural minor. That way the V chord is dominant, giving a good resolution to I (or i).

[LowDown Hal]

Thanks for clearing up the vii chord for me, and I thought I had that figured out :=)

Since I didn't even realize there were different minor scales I guess I have some more studying to do.

Is this the natural minor ? 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7
Is this the harmonic minor ? 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7

[251]

You've already noticed it isn't simple. There is more than 1 minor scale. The 1st one you site is the Aeolian (6th) mode in Eb. The other is the 3rd (Phrygian) mode in Eb. The 2nd mode (called Dorian, beginning with F in Eb) is often used as a minor scale + there are more.

Perhaps if you tell us what you're working on, or the question you had in mind when posted for the info, there will be less confusion to sort through, finding an answer?

[LowDown Hal]

I'm not working on anything on particular.

Relatively new to the bass I am taking instruction. I've been working on the ii-V-I progression, all based on the major scale. One excersize I do is walking up/down arpeggios. Today I was just working some scales and became curious if the chord progressions / arpeggios patterns worked the same way for what I knew as the minor scale (1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7). Clearly I have more to learn.

Heck I didn't even know or think of the modes as minor scales.

THANKS

[Pacman]

Well, if you're looking for a 2-5-1 in a minor key, start with (in C min) Dmin7b5 - G7b9 - Cmin7

[Samjay]

Originally Posted by LowDown Hal

I know that a Major Scale is

1 = I = Maj
2 = ii = min
3 = iii = min
4 = IV = Maj
5 = v = Dominant
6 = vi = min
7 = vii = diminished

I also know that the minor scale can be thought of as

6 =
7 =
1 =
2 =
3 =
4 =
5 =


FOR EXAMPLE the Eb Major Scale and corresponding chords are
Eb Maj7
F min7
G min7
Ab Maj7
Bb dom7
C min7
D dim7

and the C minor scale is
C
D
Eb
F
G
Ab
Bb

so do the chords track for the minor scale? I assume they must
C min7
D dim7
Eb Maj7
F min7
G min7
Ab Maj7
Bb dom7

THANKS

They do if you are playing a natural minor. However, you have a couple mistakes above. Plain major scale chord progression(think non-jazz) is:maj,- min,-min,-maj,-maj,-min,-dim,-maj. If it's a major harmonized scale progression(think jazz chords-7ths)it's maj7,-min7-,min7,-maj7-,dom7-,min7-,half dim(or min 7b5,)-maj7. Keep it simple and master the natural minor and then work it out with the melodic and harmonic minors later.

[onlyclave]

Originally Posted by Pacman

Well, if you're looking for a 2-5-1 in a minor key, start with (in C min) Dmin7b5 - G7b9 - Cmin7

Most of the time in a minor key (like in your c min example) the tonic would be Cm6. No seventh.

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

Originally Posted by onlyclave

Most of the time in a minor key (like in your c min example) the tonic would be Cm6. No seventh.

It depends on the "quality" or "mood" you want to give to the piece. As you said, most of the times arrangers lean toward the m6 chord (Let's say Am6: A-C-E-F#) because it's the same F#m7b5 chord but inverted, so it sounds more "tense" than the m7 chord (A-C-E-G), but there's nothing wrong with adding the 7 to the tonic on a minor key if that's the kind of "sonority" you are looking for. It's just a matter of preference.

[LowDown Hal]

Originally Posted by Samjay

They do if you are playing a natural minor. However, you have a couple mistakes above. Plain major scale chord progression(think non-jazz) is:maj,- min,-min,-maj,-maj,-min,-dim,-maj. If it's a major harmonized scale progression(think jazz chords-7ths)it's maj7,-min7-,min7,-maj7-,dom7-,min7-,half dim(or min 7b5,)-maj7. Keep it simple and master the natural minor and then work it out with the melodic and harmonic minors later.

Keep it simple is my goal, i.e. one at at time

So then if I follow this the natural minor would be the same pattern as the major harmonized?
maj7
min7
min7
maj7
dom7
min7
half dim (min7b5)

[Samjay]

Originally Posted by LowDown Hal

Keep it simple is my goal, i.e. one at at time

So then if I follow this the natural minor would be the same pattern as the major harmonized?
maj7
min7
min7
maj7
dom7
min7
half dim (min7b5)

Yes but starting with the VI. So it will be min7,min7b5,maj7,min7,min7,maj7,dom7 back to min7.