This scale is sometimes also referred to as 'Gypsy Run', or alternatively 'Egyptian Minor Scale', as mentioned by Miles Davis who describes it in his autobiography as 'something that I'd learned at Juilliard'. The Hungarian minor scale is similar to the harmonic minor scale but with a raised 4th degree. A ring of twelve is sometimes augmented with a 5♯ and 6♭ to make a 10 note harmonic minor scale from bell 2 to bell 11 (for example, Worcester Cathedral). A familiar example of the descending scale is heard in a Ring of bells. In this role, it is used while descending far more often than while ascending. 14), and Schubert (for example, in the first movement of the Death and the Maiden Quartet). Instances can be found in Mozart, Beethoven (for example, the finale of his String Quartet No. While it evolved primarily as a basis for chords, the harmonic minor with its augmented second is sometimes used melodically. Whole, half, whole, whole, half, augmented second, half Uses The intervals between the notes of a harmonic minor scale follow the sequence below: Thus, a harmonic minor scale is represented by the following notation:Ī harmonic minor scale can be built by lowering the 3rd and 6th degrees of the parallel major scale by one semitone.īecause of this construction, the 7th degree of the harmonic minor scale functions as a leading tone to the tonic because it is a semitone lower than the tonic, rather than a whole tone lower than the tonic as it is in natural minor scales. Thus, for instance, the A natural minor scale can be built by lowering the third, sixth, and seventh degrees of the A major scale by one semitone: Because of this, we say that a number without a flat represents a major (or perfect) interval, while a number with a flat represents a minor interval. By making use of flat symbols ( ♭) this notation thus represents notes by how they deviate from the notes in the major scale.

This notation is based on the major scale, and represents each degree (each note in the scale) by a number, starting with the tonic (the first, lowest note of the scale). In this way, a natural minor scale is represented by the following notation:

For instance, since the 6th degree of F major is D, the relative minor of F major is D minor.Ī natural minor scale can also be constructed by altering a major scale with accidentals. Every major key has a relative minor, which starts on the 6th scale degree or step. You can download the audio file.īecause of this, the key of A minor is called the relative minor of C major. Audio playback is not supported in your browser.

A flat minor triad