the minor scale

[dubstyle5000]

I've been learning a lot of stuff lately, especially from some of you guys who hang around here. It's been cool. I'm glad I discovered this site, everyone is so helpful. Rock!

I've been away from the site for a few days, trying to do some learning idependently (sp?). I came across a little hitch. I found out that the I, IV and V of a major scale are majors, while the ii, iii and vi are minor. Right so far? I think so...

That information was great to know. I've been able to do some cool things with that knowledge. Then I wanted to figure out which intervals of the minor scale are minor, and which are major. When I try to work through it by counting the space between the intervals, I am finding that the distance between each interval is a minor third... no majors. Is that right? It doesn't seem like it could be.

Thanks in advance!

DS5

[Ed Fuqua]

Sounds like you're looking at something wrong. Rather than counting interval spaces let's us look at the actual notes.

C major
C D E F G A B C, OK?
Counting spaces, from C whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step , half step. OK?
Intervals (calculated from the root, C)
C - D = (major)second
C - E = major 3rd
C - F = perfect 4th
C - G = perfect 5th
C - A = major 6th
C - B = major 7th

Triads built on the major scale
CEG - maj - I
DFA - minor - ii
EGB - minor - iii
FAC - major - IV
GBD - major -V
ACE - minor - vi
BDF - diminished - viio

So to make a NATURAL minor scale, you have to flatten the 3rd and the 6th and the 7th, right?
C D Eb F G Ab Bb C, right?

So your interval relationship (again from the root)
C -D = (major) second
C - Eb = minor 3rd
C- F = perfect 4th
C- G = perfect 5th
C -Ab = minor sixth
C - Bb = minor seventh (or flat seventh or dominant seventh)

So your triads
C Eb G - minor - i
D F Ab - diminished - iio
Eb G Bb - major - III
F Ab C - minor -iv
G Bb D - minor - v
Ab C Eb - major - VI
Bb D F - major - VII

much of this is covered in jazzbo's tutorial, you should poke around a bit.


The other thing that you have to be careful with is using the natural minor scale when you are talking about patterns of resolution in a minor tune, that's why we got the harmonic and melodic minor...