Parallel keys in D major in B minor. Mastering three types of minor

In musical practice, it is used big number variety of musical modes. Of these, two modes are the most common and almost universal: these are major and minor. So there are three types of major and minor: natural, harmonic and melodic. Just don’t be afraid of this, everything is simple: the difference is only in the details (1-2 sounds), the rest is the same in them. Today in our field of vision there are three types of minor.

3 types of minor: the first is natural

natural minor- this is a simple gamma without any random signs, in the form in which it is. Only key characters are taken into account. The scale of this scale is the same when moving up and down. Nothing extra. The sound is simple, a little strict, sad.

Here, for example, is the scale of the natural in A minor:

3 types of minor: second - harmonic

harmonic minor- in it when moving up and down the seventh step rises (VII#). It rises not from the bay-floundering, but in order to sharpen its gravity in the first step (that is, in).

Let's look at the harmonic scale in A minor:

As a result, the seventh (introductory) step goes really well and naturally into the tonic, but between the sixth and seventh steps ( VI and VII#) a "hole" is formed - an increased second (uv2).

However, this has its own charm: after all, thanks to this increased second harmonic minor sounds somehow in the Arabic (eastern) way- very beautiful, elegant and very characteristic (that is, the harmonic minor is easily recognizable by ear).

3 types of minor: third - melodic

melodic minor is a minor in which when the gamma moves up, two steps rise at once - the sixth and seventh (VI# and VII#), but during the reverse (downward) movement, these increases are canceled, and played (or sung) in fact natural minor.

Here is an example of the melodic kind of the same in A minor:

Why was it necessary to raise these two steps? We have already dealt with the seventh - she wants to be closer to the tonic. But the sixth rises in order to close the “hole” (uv2) that was formed in the harmonic minor.

Why is it so important? Yes, because the minor is MELODIC, and according to strict rules, moves on in MELODIES are prohibited.

What gives an increase in the VI and VII steps? On the one hand, a more directed movement towards the tonic, on the other hand, this movement is softened.

Why then cancel these increases (alteration) when moving down? Everything is very simple here: if we play the scale from top to bottom, then when we return to the elevated seventh step, we will again want to return to the tonic, despite the fact that this is no longer necessary (we, having overcome the tension, have already conquered this peak (tonic) and go down, where you can relax). And one more thing: we just must not forget that we are in a minor, and these two girlfriends (elevated sixth and seventh steps) somehow add to the fun. This fun for the first time may be just right, but in the second - already too much.

The sound of a melodic minor fully justifies its name: it really sounds somehow special MELODIC, soft, lyrical and warm. This mode is often found in romances and songs (for example, about nature or in lullabies).

Repetition is the mother of learning

Oh, how I broke up here, how much I wrote about the melodic minor. I'll tell you a secret that most often you have to deal with the harmonic minor, so don't forget about the "lady seventh step" - sometimes she needs to "rise".

Let's repeat once again what is in music. It's a minor natural (simple, no bells and whistles) harmonic (with an increased seventh step - VII #) and melodic (in which, when moving up, you need to raise the sixth and seventh steps - VI # and VII #, and when moving down - just play natural minor). Here is a drawing to help you:

Now you know the rules, now I suggest watching a simply gorgeous video on the topic. After watching this short video lesson, you will once and for all learn to distinguish one type of minor from another (including by ear). The video suggests learning a song (in Ukrainian) - very interesting.

Three kinds of minor - other examples

What is it all of us a minor yes a minor? What? no others? Of course I have. Now let's look at examples of natural, harmonic and melodic minor in several other keys.

E minor- three types: in this example, changes in steps are highlighted in color (in accordance with the rules) - therefore I will not give unnecessary comments.

Key B minor with two sharps at the key, in a harmonic form - an A-sharp appears, in a melodic form - a G-sharp is also added to it, and then when the scale moves down, both increases are canceled (A becar, Sol becar).

Key F-sharp minor : there are three signs in it with the key - fa, do and salt sharp. In the harmonic F-sharp minor, the seventh step rises (mi-sharp), and in the melodic one, the sixth and seventh steps rise (d-sharp and mi-sharp), with a downward movement of the scale, this alteration is canceled.

C-sharp minor in three types. At the key we have four sharps. In harmonic form - B-sharp, in melodic form - A-sharp and B-sharp in an upward movement, and natural C-sharp minor in a downward movement.

Key F minor. - flats in the amount of 4 pieces. In the harmonic F minor, the seventh step rises (mi-bekar), in the melodic one, the sixth (re-bekar) and seventh (mi-bekar) increase, when moving down, the increases, of course, are canceled.

Three kinds C minor. Tonality with three flats at the key (si, mi and la). The seventh step in the harmonic form is increased (si-becar), in the melodic form - in addition to the seventh, the sixth (la-becar) is also increased, in the downward movement of the melodic scale, these increases are canceled and the b-flat and a-flat return, which are in in kind.

Key G minor: here two flats are set at the key. In the harmonic G minor - F-sharp, in the melodic one - in addition to F-sharp, there is also E-becar (increase of the VI degree), when moving down in the melodic G minor - the signs of natural minor (that is, F-becar and E -flat).

D minor in its three forms. Natural without any additional accidental (don't forget about the B-flat sign at the key). Harmonic D minor - with an elevated seventh (C-sharp). Melodic D minor - with the ascending movement of the B-becar and C-sharp scales (increased sixth and seventh steps), with the downward movement - the return of the natural look (C-becar and B flat).

Well, let's stop there. You can bookmark the page with these examples (for sure it will come in handy). I also recommend subscribing to updates.

Music theory includes a huge amount of diverse terminology. Tone is fundamental professional term. On this page you can find out what tonality is, how to determine it, what varieties there are, and also Interesting Facts, exercises, and a way to change the key in the backing track.

Basic moments

Imagine you decide to play musical composition. You found the notes, and when parsing the musical text, you noticed that after the key there are sharps or flats. We need to figure out what they mean. Key signs are accidental signs that persist throughout the performance of a musical composition. According to the rules, they are set after the key, but before the size (See Figure No. 1), and are duplicated on each subsequent line. Key signs are necessary not only to avoid constantly writing them near the notes, which takes a lot of time, but also so that the musician can determine the key in which the work is written.

Figure #1

The piano, like many other instruments, is tempered. In this system, the units of calculation can be taken as a tone and a semitone. Thanks to the division into these units, from each sound on the keyboard, it is possible to form a tonality, either major or minor. This is how the modal formulas of major and minor were invented (See Figure 2).

Figure #2

It is according to these scale formulas that one can build a tonality from any sound, either in major or in minor. Sequential reproduction of notes according to these formulas is called a scale. Many musicians play scales in order to quickly navigate the keys and key signs with them.

The tonality consists of two components: the name of the sound (for example, to) and the modal inclination (major or minor). To build a scale, you need to select one of the sounds on the keyboard and play from it according to the formula, either major or minor.

Strengthening exercises

1. Try to play major scale from the "re" sound. Use the ratio of tones and semitones when playing. Check for correctness.
2. Try playing the minor scale from the "mi" sound. It is necessary to play according to the proposed formula.
3. Try playing scales from different sounds in different moods. First in slow pace, then faster ones.

Varieties

Some keys may have a certain relationship with each other. Then they can be included in the following classifications:

• parallel tones. A feature is the same number of key signs, but a different modal inclination. In fact, the set of sounds is absolutely identical, the difference lies only in the sound of the tonic. For example, the keys of C major and A minor are parallel, they have the same number of key signs, but different modal inclination and tonic sound. There is a parallel-variable mode, which is characterized by the fact that there are two parallel keys in the work, and they constantly change the mode, then to major, then to minor. This mode is typical for Russian folk music.
• The eponymous have a common tonic sound, but at the same time a different modal inclination and key signs. Example: D major (2 keys), D minor (1 key).
• One-terts have a common third (that is, the third sound in a triad), they are no longer united by either the tonic, or key signs, or mode. Usually, the one-tertz minor is located a small second or a semitone higher than the major. Accordingly, the one-tertz major in relation to the minor is located lower by a small second or a semitone. An example is the keys of C major and C-sharp minor, in the triads of these chords the sound “mi” coincides.

Strengthening exercises

Determine how the two tones relate to each other. Put the appropriate number next to the example:

1. Parallel
2. namesake
3. Single Tertsovye

Questions:

• B major and h minor
• A major and a minor
• G-dur and e-moll

Check your own knowledge.

Answers: 3, 2, 1.

Interesting Facts

• How musical term originated at the beginning of the 19th century. It was introduced by Alexander Etienne Choron in his own writings.
• There is a "color" hearing, which is characterized by the fact that a person associates a certain tonality with a specific color. The recipients of this gift were Rimsky-Korsakov And Scriabin.
• IN contemporary art there is atonal music that does not take into account the principles of tonal stability.
• English terminology uses the following designation for parallel keys - relative keys. In a literal translation, these are “related” or “related”. The same names are designated as parallel keys, which can be perceived as parallel. Often, when translating specific literature, translators make an error in this matter.
• Symbolism classical music fixed a certain meaning for some keys. So Des-dur is true love, B-dur defines handsome men, heroes, and e-moll - grief.

Tonality table

Sharp

Flat

How to determine the tone of a piece

You can find out the main key for the composition using the plan below:

1. Look for key signs.
2. Find in the table.
3. It can be two keys: major and minor. To determine which mode you need to look at, what sound the piece ends with.

There are ways to make searching easier:

• For major in sharp keys: last sharp + m2 = key name. So, if the extreme key sign is C-sharp, then it will be D major.
• For flat major keys: penultimate flat = desired key. So if there are three key signs, then the penultimate one will be E-flat - this will be the desired key.

You can use both standard methods and the ones above. The main thing is to learn how to correctly determine the tone and navigate in it.

Strengthening exercises

Determine the tone by key signs.

Major

Minor

Answers: 1. D major 2. As major 3. C major

1. Cis minor 2. B minor 3. E minor

Circle of fifths

The circle of fifths is a special schematically presented information in which all keys are located at a distance of a perfect fifth clockwise, and a perfect fourth counterclockwise.

Major triads in key

Let's start with what a major and minor triad is, and how they are built. Regardless of the mood, a triad is a chord consisting of three sounds, which are arranged in thirds. A major triad is denoted as B 5 3, and consists of a major third and a minor. A minor triad is designated as M 5 3, and consists of a minor and a major third.

From each note in the key, you can build triads.

The main triads in the key are such chords that show this major or minor inclination. On the first, fourth and fifth, triads are built corresponding to the modal mood. That is, in a major, major triads are built on these steps, and in a minor, respectively, minor ones. The main triads for each step have their own names, or as they are also called functions. So on the first step is the tonic, on the fourth is the subdominant, and on the fifth is the dominant. They are usually abbreviated as T, S and D.

Related keys

There is such a thing as tonal relationship. The greater the difference in signs, the further the relationship. Depending on the systems, 3 or 4 degrees are distinguished. Consider the most popular system, which divides keys into 3 degrees of relationship.

Relation degree
Group
Sign difference
What keys	parallel	S, D and their parallels	S Harm for Major	Keys on b.2 ↓ and their parallels	Major Major– m2, m3, b3 ↓ and Minor ss harm. - on b2↓ and the minor of the same name	Minor Minor– m2, m3, b3 ↓ and Major DD to b2 and major of the same name	For major uv1, uv2, uv4 and uv5, for minor the same intervals ↓.	Tritonante and its parallel

First group divided into 3 categories:

1. This is a parallel tone. The difference in signs is 0. These keys combine six common chords. Example: F major and D minor.
2. 4 tones. Between the main and final tonality, the difference is one sign. These are the keys of the subdominant and dominant, as well as parallel to S and D. An example, for the key of G major: S - C major, parallel S - A minor, D - D major, parallel D - B minor.
3. Considered only for major keys. A difference of 4 signs is a harmonic subdominant. An example for C-dur - the harmonic subdominant - is F minor.

Second group kinship is divided into 2 subgroups:

1. 4 tones. The difference is two key signs. It is easy to find these keys from the main one; they are located a large second above and below + the parallels found. Example: the main key is A major. Above and below by a major second or tone of key: B minor and G major. Parallels for the keys found: these are D major and E minor.
2. Difference of signs from three to five. Finding the key will depend on whether the key is major or minor.

• Dur: 6 major and 2 minor: above and below by m2, m3 and b3; ss is a harmonic, located b2 lower, as well as a minor of the same name. Example for G-dur: As-dur, B-dur, H-dur, Fis-dur, E-dur, Es-dur and f-moll and g-moll.
• Moll: 6 minor and 2 major: for a minor second, minor third and b3 above and below; DD is a major second higher and the major of the same name.

Third group is divided into 2 groups:

1. 3 keys that do not have a single common chord, the difference is 3-5 signs in the opposite direction. For a major, it is necessary to find the minors higher by the following intervals, and for the minor, the majors at SW.1, SW.4 and SW.5 are lower.
2. Tritonanta and its parallel. There is a tritone from the original tonic, for C-dur - Fis-dur.

Depending on the degree in harmony, there are many ways of modulation.

How to change the key in backing tracks

It happens that the tonality is either too high for the voice, or too low. To make music sound beautiful, you need to use modern technologies and programs to make the backing track convenient, that is, transpose it to the required interval lower or higher. Let's figure out how to change the key in backing tracks or compositions. We will work in the Audacity program.

• Opening Audacity

• Click on the "File" section. Select "Open..."

• Select the desired audio recording
• Press CTRL+A to select the entire track.
• Click on the "Effects" section, select "Change Pitch ..."

• We set the number of semitones: when increasing, the value is above zero, when decreasing, the value is less than zero. You can choose a specific tone.

• We save the result. Open the "File" section, select "Export Audio..."

We hope that the page was useful for reading and now you know what key is, understand their types and can transpose a piece of music using special program. Read other articles on music literacy and improve your own knowledge.

July 19, 2014

This article is devoted to an extremely important topic in music - tonality. You will learn what the tonality is, what parallel and homonymous tonality are, and their letter designations will also be considered.

What is tonality?

The word itself suggests its meaning. She seems to set the tone for the whole piece of music. In fact, tonality is the basis of the work. They push off from it, creating this or that musical composition. This is a kind of start.

So, for example, there is a key in C major. This means that the tonic, which is also the first step of the mode, is the sound "to". The main chord in this key consists of sounds do-mi-sol. This chord is called a tonic triad.

In this regard, before disassembling and playing a piece of music, the performer determines the main tonality, modal inclination, looks at the number of key signs, mentally determines what its parallel tonality is.

One and the same musical composition can be sung or played in completely different keys of the corresponding mode. This is used primarily for the convenience of vocal performance.

The parallel tonality used in the work can give a different color to the composition. So, for example, if musical composition written in the light key of D major, then its parallel key is the sad and tragic B minor.

Letter designations of keys

Major is denoted dur, minor is denoted moll. Sharp - is, flat - es. Below is a list of some of the parallel keys and their letter designations.

• C major (no signs). Designated C-dur. Parallel key - A minor (A-moll).

• F major - one flat (si). Has the designation F-dur. Its parallel is in D minor (d-moll).
• G major - one sharp (fa). Designated G-dur. The tonality parallel to it is E minor (e-moll).
• B-flat major - two flats (si, mi). Has the designation B-dur. Its parallel is G minor (g-moll).
• D major - two sharps (F, C). Designated D-dur. Its parallel is in B minor (h-moll).

What are parallel keys

These are the keys of the major and minor moods, which contain the same key signs, but at the same time they have different tonics.

The list above shows some keys and parallels to them.

To find a parallel tonality to a given major, you need to go down from the given one by m.3 (small third) down.

If you want to determine the parallel tonality to a given minor key, then you need to rise from the indicated one by b.3 (major third) up.

The above list clearly demonstrates the parallel keys of major and minor moods up to two signs at the key.

Keys of the same name

These are those that have the same tonic, but a different modal inclination and, accordingly, completely different signs at the key.

For example:

• C-dur (no signs) - c-moll (three flats).
• F-dur (one flat) - f-moll (four flats).
• G-dur (one sharp) - g-moll (two flats).

Thus, tonality is a kind of beginning of any musical composition for both the composer and the performer. Melody transposition, that is, the transition from one key to another, allows vocalists to freely perform absolutely all compositions. Such a transfer sometimes gives the work a completely new color. You can conduct an interesting experiment and try to perform a musical composition written in a major key in a minor key (a parallel key can also be chosen). At the same time, a bright and joyful mood will turn into a sad and sad one. In the twentieth century, the term "atonal music" appeared, that is, music that does not have an established tonality. But that's a completely different story...

Source: fb.ru

Actual

Miscellaneous
Miscellaneous

The last issue was devoted to the consideration of such musical concepts as mode and tonality. Today we will continue our study of this big topic and we will talk about what parallel keys are, but first we will very briefly repeat the previous material.

Fundamentals of mode and tonality in music

Lad- this is a specially selected group (gamma) of sounds, in which there are basic - stable steps and there are unstable ones that obey the stable ones. Another mode has character, so there are varieties of modes - for example, major and minor.

Key- this is the height position of the fret, because a major or minor scale can be built, sung or played from absolutely any sound. This sound will be called tonic, and it is the most important sound of the tonality, the most stable and, accordingly, the first step of the mode.

Tones have names , by which we understand what fret and at what height it is located. Examples of key names: C-MAJOR, D-MAJOR, MI-MAJOR or C-MINOR, D-MINOR, MI-MINOR. That is the name of the key conveys information about two important things - firstly, about what kind of tonic (or main sound) the tonality has, and, secondly, what kind of modal mood the tonality has (what character is it - major or minor).

Finally, the keys differ from each other also, that is, by the presence of any sharps or flats. These differences are due to the fact that major and minor scales have a special structure in terms of tones and semitones (read more in the previous article, that is). So, in order for a major to be a major, and a minor to be really a minor, sometimes a certain number of altered steps (with sharps or with flats) have to be added to the scale.

For example, in the key of D MAJOR there are only two signs - two sharps (F-sharp and C-sharp), and in the key of LA MAJOR there are already three sharps (F, C and G). Or in the key of D MINOR - one flat (B-flat), and in F MINOR - as many as four flats (si, mi, la and re).

Now let's ask a question? Are all the keys really, really different and there are no scales that are similar to each other? And is there really a huge unbridgeable gulf between major and minor? It turns out, no, they have connections and similarities, more on that later.

Parallel Keys

What do the words "parallel" or "parallelism" mean? Here are such well-known expressions to you as “parallel lines” or “ a parallel world". Parallel is one that exists simultaneously with something and is similar to this something. And the word “parallel” is very similar to the word “pair”, that is, two objects, two things, or some other pair are always parallel to each other.

Parallel lines are two lines that are in the same plane, are similar to each other like two drops of water and do not intersect (they are related, but do not intersect - well, isn't it dramatic?). Remember, in geometry, parallel lines are denoted by two strokes (// like this), in music, too, such a designation will be acceptable.

So, here are parallel keys - these are two keys that are similar to each other. There is quite a lot in common between them, but there are also significant differences. What common? They have absolutely all sounds in common. Since the sounds all coincide, it means that all signs must be the same - sharps and flats. So it is: parallel keys have the same signs.

For example, let's take two keys C MAJOR and A MINOR - both there and there there are no signs, all sounds coincide, which means that these keys are parallel.

Another example. The key of MI-FLAT MAJOR with three flats (si, mi, la) and the key of C MINOR also with the same three flats. Again we see parallel keys.

What then is the difference between these tonalities? And you yourself carefully look at the names (C MAJOR // A MINOR). What do you think? You see, after all, one key is major, and the second is minor. In the example with the second pair (MI-FLAT MAJOR // C MINOR), the same is true: one is major, the other is minor. This means that parallel keys have the opposite modal inclination, the opposite mode. One key will always be major, and the second - minor. That's right: opposites attract!

What else is different? The C-MAJOR scale starts with the note DO, that is, the note DO in it is the tonic. The A MINOR scale begins, as you understand, with the note LA, which is the tonic in this key. That is, what happens? The sounds in these keys are absolutely the same, but they have different supreme commanders, different tonics. Here is the second difference.

Let's draw some conclusions. So, parallel keys are two keys that have the same scale sounds, the same signs (sharps or flats), but the tonics differ and the mode is opposite (one is major, the other is minor).

More examples of parallel keys:

• D MAJOR // B MINOR (both there and there are two sharps - F and C);
• A MAJOR // F SHARP MINOR (three sharps in each key);
• F MAJOR // D MINOR (one common flat - B flat);
• B FLAT MAJOR // G MINOR (two flats both there and here - si and mi).

How to find parallel key?

If you want to know how to determine the parallel key, then let's find out the answer to this question empirically. And then we will formulate the rule.

Just imagine: C MAJOR and A MINOR are parallel keys. And now tell me: at what level BEFORE MAJOR is the “entrance to the parallel world”? Or, in other words, what degree of C MAJOR is the tonic of the parallel minor?

Now let's do it topsy-turvy. How to get out of the gloomy A MINOR into the parallel sunny and joyful C MAJOR? Where is the "portal" to go to the parallel world this time? In other words, which degree of the minor is the tonic of the parallel major?

The answers are simple. In the first case: the sixth degree is the tonic of the parallel minor. In the second case: the third degree can be considered the tonic of the parallel major. By the way, it is not at all necessary to get to the sixth degree of the major for a long time (that is, to count six steps from the first), it is enough to go down three steps from the tonic and we will get to this sixth degree in the same way.

Let's formulate now RULE(but not final yet). So, to find the tonic of the parallel minor, it is enough to go down three steps from the first step of the original major key. To find the tonic of the parallel major, on the contrary, you need to go up three steps.

Check this rule with other examples. Do not forget that they have signs. And when we go up or down the steps, we must pronounce these signs, that is, take them into account.

For example, let's find parallel minor for the key of G MAJOR. This key contains one sharp (F-sharp), which means that there will also be one sharp in the parallel. We go down three steps from SOL: SOL, F-SHARP, MI. STOP! MI is just the note we need; this is the sixth step and this is the entrance to the parallel minor! So the tone parallel SALT MAJOR, will be MI MINOR.

Another example. Let's find a parallel key for F MINOR. There are four flats in this key (si, mi, la and re-flat). We rise three steps up to open the door to the parallel major. Stepping: F, G, A-FLAT. STOP! A-FLAT - here it is the desired sound, here it is the cherished key! A FLAT MAJOR is the key that is parallel to F MINOR.

How to determine parallel tonality even faster?

How can you find the parallel major or minor even easier? And, especially, if we do not know what signs in general are there in this key? And let's find out again with examples!

We have just identified the following parallels: G MAJOR // E MINOR and F MINOR // A FLAT MAJOR. And now let's see what is the distance between the tonics of parallel keys. Distance in music is measured, and if you understand the topic well, then you can easily figure out that the interval we are interested in is a minor third.

Between the sounds SOL and MI (down) there is a small third, because we go through three steps, and one and a half tones. Between FA and A-FLAT (up) is also a small third. And between the tonics of others parallel scales, there will also be an interval of a minor third.

It turns out the following RULE(simplified and final): to find a parallel key, you need to set aside a minor third from the tonic - up if we are looking for a parallel major, or down if we are looking for a parallel minor.

Practice (you can skip if everything is clear)

Exercise: find parallel keys for C SHARP MINOR, B FLAT MINOR, B MAJOR, F SHARP MAJOR.

Solution: you need to build small thirds. So, the small third from C-SHARP upwards is C-SHARP and MI, which means that MI MAJOR will be a parallel key. From B-FLAT it also builds a small third up, because we are looking for a parallel major, we get - D-FLAT MAJOR.

To find the parallel minor, we put the thirds down. So, a minor third from SI gives us G-SHARN MINOR, parallel to SI MAJOR. From F-SHARP, a small third down gives the sound D-SHARP and, accordingly, the system D-SHARP MINOR.

Answers: C-SHARP MINOR // MI MAJOR; B-FLAT MINOR // D-FLAT MAJOR; B MAJOR // G SHARP MINOR; F SHARP MAJOR // D SHARP MINOR.

Are there many pairs of such keys?

In total, three dozen keys are used in music, half of them (15) are major, and the second half (another 15) are minor, and, you know, not a single key is alone, everyone has a pair. That is, it turns out that in total there are 15 pairs of keys that have the same signs. Agree, 15 pairs are easier to remember than 30 individual scales?

Further - even harder! Of the 15 pairs, seven pairs are sharp (from 1 to 7 sharps), seven pairs are flat (from 1 to 7 flats), one pair is like a “white crow” without signs. It seems that you can easily name these two clean tonalities without signs. Isn't it C MAJOR with A MINOR?

That is, now you need to remember not 30 scary keys with mysterious signs, and not even 15 slightly less frightening pairs, but just the magic code “1 + 7 + 7”. We will now place all these keys in a table for clarity. In this table of keys, it will immediately become clear who is parallel to whom, how many characters and which ones.

Table of parallel keys with their signs

PARALLEL KEYS		THEIR SIGNS
MAJOR	MINOR	HOW MANY SIGNS	WHAT SIGNS
KEYS WITHOUT SIGNS (1//1)
C major	La Minor	no signs	no signs
KEYS WITH SHARP (7//7)
G major	E minor	1 sharp	F
D major	B minor	2 sharps	fa to
A major	F-sharp minor	3 sharps	fa to sol
E major	C-sharp minor	4 sharps	F to Sol D
B major	G-sharp minor	5 sharps	fa do sol re la
F sharp major	D sharp minor	6 sharps	fa do sol re la mi
C sharp major	A-sharp minor	7 sharps	fa do sol re la mi si
KEYS WITH FLAT (7//7)
F major	D minor	1 flat	si
B flat major	G minor	2 flat	si mi
E flat major	C minor	3 flat	si mi la
A flat major	F minor	4 flat	si mi la re
D flat major	B flat minor	5 flat	si mi la re sol
G flat major	E-flat minor	6 flat	si mi la re sol do
C flat major	A flat minor	7 flat	si mi la re sol do fa

You can download the same table in a more convenient form for use as a cheat sheet in pdf format for printing -

That's all for now. In the next issues, you will learn what the keys of the same name are, as well as how to quickly and permanently remember the signs in the keys, and what is the method for quickly identifying the signs if you have forgotten them.

Well, now we offer you to watch a hand-drawn animated film with amazing music by Mozart. Once Mozart looked out the window and saw that a military regiment was passing along the street. A real military regiment in brilliant uniforms, with flutes and Turkish drums. The beauty and grandeur of this spectacle so shocked Mozart that on the same day he composed his famous "Turkish March" (final piano sonata 11) is a work known throughout the world.

W. A. ​​Mozart "Turkish March"

The minor scale has three main varieties: natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor.

About the features of each of these modes and how to get them, we will talk today.

Natural minor - simple and strict

Natural minor is a scale built according to the formula "tone - semitone - 2 tones - semitone - 2 tones". This is a common scheme for the structure of a minor scale, and in order to quickly get it, it is enough just to know the key signs in the desired key. There are no altered degrees in this type of minor, so there can be no accidental signs of alteration in it.

The natural minor scale sounds simple, sad and a bit strict. That is why natural minor is so common in folk and medieval church music.

An example of a melody in this mode: "I'm sitting on a stone" - a famous Russian folk song, in the recording below, its key is natural E minor.

Harmonic minor - the heart of the East

In the harmonic minor, the seventh step is raised compared to the natural form of the mode. If in the natural minor the seventh step was a “pure”, “white” note, then it rises with the help of a sharp, if it was a flat, then with the help of a becar, but if it was a sharp, then a further increase in the step is possible with the help of a double -sharp. Thus, this kind of mode can always be recognized by the appearance of one random.

For example, in the same A minor, the seventh step is the sound of G, in a harmonic form it will be not just G, but G-sharp. Another example: C minor is a key with three flats in the key (si, mi and la flat), the seventh step is the note si-flat, we raise it with a becar (si-becar).

Due to the increase of the seventh step (VII #), the structure of the scale changes in the harmonic minor. The distance between the sixth and seventh steps becomes as much as one and a half tones. This ratio causes the appearance of new ones that were not there before. Such intervals include, for example, an augmented second (between VI and VII#) or an augmented fifth (between III and VII#).

The harmonic minor scale sounds tense, has a characteristic Arabic-oriental flavor. However, despite this, it is the harmonic minor that is the most common of the three types of minor in European music - classical, folk or pop-pop. It got its name "harmonic" because it shows itself very well in chords, that is, in harmony.

An example of a melody in this mode is a Russian folk "Song of the Bean"(the key is in A minor, the appearance is harmonic, as a random G-sharp tells us).

The composer can use different types of minor in the same work, for example, alternate natural minor with harmonic, as Mozart does in main topic its famous Symphonies No. 40:

Melodic minor - emotional and sensual

The melodic minor scale is different when it is moved up or down. If they go up, then two steps are raised at once in it - the sixth (VI #) and the seventh (VII #). If they play or sing down, then these changes are canceled, and an ordinary natural minor sounds.

For example, the scale of A minor in a melodic ascending motion will be a scale of the following notes: la, si, do, re, mi, f-sharp (VI#), sol-sharp (VII#), la. When moving down, these sharps will disappear, turning into G-becar and F-becar.

Or the gamma in C minor in the melodic ascending movement is: C, D, E-flat (with key), F, G, A-becar (VI#), B-becar (VII#), C. Back-raised notes will turn back into B-flat and A-flat as you move down.

By the name of this type of minor, it is clear that it is intended to be used in beautiful melodies. Since the melodic minor sounds diverse (not equally up and down), it is able to reflect the most subtle moods and experiences when it appears.

When the scale ascends, its last four sounds (for example, in A minor - mi, f-sharp, sol-sharp, la) coincide with the scale (A major in our case). Therefore, they can convey light shades, motives of hope, warm feelings. Movement in reverse side according to the sounds of the natural scale, it absorbs both the severity of the natural minor, and, perhaps, some kind of doom, or maybe the fortress, the confidence of the sound.

With its beauty and flexibility, with its wide possibilities in conveying feelings, the melodic minor was very fond of composers, which is probably why it can be found so often in famous romances and songs. Let's take the song as an example « Moscow Nights» (music by V. Solovyov-Sedoy, lyrics by M. Matusovsky), where the melodic minor with raised steps sounds at the moment when the singer talks about his lyrical feelings (If you knew how dear to me ...):

Let's repeat again

So, there are 3 types of minor: the first is natural, the second is harmonic and the third is melodic:

1. Natural minor can be obtained by constructing a scale using the formula “tone-semitone-tone-tone-semitone-tone-tone”;
2. In the harmonic minor, the seventh degree (VII#) is raised;
3. In the melodic minor, when moving up, the sixth and seventh steps (VI# and VII#) are raised, and when moving back, the natural minor is played.

To practice this theme and remember how the minor scale sounds in different types, we highly recommend watching this video by Anna Naumova (sing along with her):

Workout Exercises

To reinforce the topic, let's do a couple of exercises. The task is this: write, speak or play 3 types of scales on the piano minor scales E minor and G minor.

SHOW ANSWERS:

Gamma E minor is sharp, it has one F-sharp (parallel tonality of G major). There are no signs in the natural minor, except for the key ones. In the harmonic E minor, the seventh step rises - it will be a D-sharp sound. In the melodic E minor, the sixth and seventh steps rise in the ascending movement - the sounds of C-sharp and D-sharp, in the descending movement these rises are canceled.

The G minor gamma is flat, in its natural form there are only two key signs: B-flat and E-flat (parallel system - B-flat major). In the harmonic G minor, raising the seventh degree will lead to the appearance of a random sign - F sharp. In the melodic minor, when moving up, the elevated steps give the signs of E-becar and F-sharp, when moving down, everything is as in natural form.

Minor scale table

For those who still find it difficult to immediately imagine minor scales in three varieties, we have prepared a hint table. It contains the name of the key and its letter designation, the image of key characters - sharps and flats in the right amount, and also names random characters that appear in the harmonic or melodic form of the scale. In total, fifteen minor keys are used in music:

How to use such a table? Consider the scales in B minor and F minor as an example. There are two in B minor: F-sharp and C-sharp, which means that the natural scale of this key will look like this: si, c-sharp, re, mi, f-sharp, sol, la, si. The harmonic B minor will include A-sharp. In the melodic B minor, two steps will already be changed - G-sharp and A-sharp.

In the F minor scale, as is clear from the table, there are four key signs: si, mi, la and d-flat. So the natural F minor scale is: fa, sol, a-flat, b-flat, do, d-flat, mi-flat, fa. In the harmonic F minor - mi-bekar, as an increase in the seventh step. In melodic F minor - D-becar and E-becar.

That's all for now! In future issues, you will learn that there are other types of minor scales, as well as what are the three types of major. Stay tuned, join our VKontakte group to keep up to date!