Scale · A natural minor
A natural minor scale
A B C D E F G. The same notes as C major, but with A acting as the tonal center.
Theory
Natural minor, starting from A
A natural minor contains the notes A, B, C, D, E, F and G. Compared with A major, the third, sixth and seventh degrees are lowered, which produces the natural-minor formula 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7.
Because A natural minor and C major share the same notes, the difference is not the pitch collection. The difference is which note feels like home and how the harmony is organized around it.
A Minor Scale notes: A, B, C, D, E, F, G.
Practice
Three useful passes
Keep the task narrow enough that tempo and note quality stay observable.
- 01
Start and finish on A so the tonic stays clear in your ear.
- 02
Keep C, F and G visually clear: they are the lowered 3rd, 6th and 7th compared with A major.
- 03
Play the scale over an A minor chord or drone, then compare it with C major using the same notes.
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