Minor Keys & Scales

This lesson is part of the Fundamentals of Twelve-Tone Equal Temperament category.

Objectives

• Students will be able to write the natural minor, harmonic minor, or melodic minor scale on a given note.
• Students will be able to write the key signature for a given minor key in treble and bass clef.
• Students will be able to identify the minor key represented by a given key signature.
• Students will be able to identify the key of a short melodic segment
• Students will be able to label melodies with solfege (fixed and moveable do; both la and do-based)
• Student will understand the difference between fixed do and moveable do
• Student will understand the difference between la-based and do-based minor
• Student will be able to identify parallel and relative key relationships between major and minor scales

Resources

Readings

• S. Acevedo. "Handout on Deriving Scales and Key Signatures."
• R. Hutchinson. "Minor Scales and Key Signatures." (Music Theory for the 21st Century Classroom).
• T. Rush. "Minor Scales." (Music Theory for Musicians and Normal People).
• T. Rush. "Keys Signatures." (Music Theory for Musicians and Normal People).
• T. Rush. "The Circle of Fifths." (Music Theory for Musicians and Normal People).
• T. Rush. "Relative and Parallel Keys." (Music Theory for Musicians and Normal People).
• K. Schaffer. "Key Signatures." (Open Music Theory).
• Teoria.com Tutorial:
  • Major and Minor Scales
  • Whole and Half Steps in Scales
• MusicTheory.net Tutorial:
  • The Major Scale
  • Scale Degrees
  • Key Signatures
  • Key Signature Calculation

Tools

• R. Scullard: Interactive Circle of Fifths
• Teoria.com Scale Constructor
• MusicTheory.net Scale Calculator
• MusicTheory.net Key Calculator

Class Activities

• Discussion and definition of the natural, harmonic and melodic minor scales
• Proper notation in treble and bass clef of the key signature for a given minor key
• Identification of key signature for music from different genres and time periods
• Discussion of fixed vs. moveable do solfege systems and their use in minor

Assignments

• Writing minor scales
• Identifying minor key signatures
• Writing minor key signatures

Drills

• Teoria.com:
  • Key Signature Construction
  • Key Signature Identification
  • Scale Construction
  • Scale Identification
• Musictheory.net:
  • Key Signature Construction
  • Key Signature ID
  • Scale Construction
  • Scale ID
  • Keyboard Scale ID
  • Fretboard Scale ID