| The most basic minor scale there is is the natural | | | | Try constructing these scales from all major keys. On |
| minor scale. But there are others. Two of them are | | | | your guitar, make the appropriate adjustments to the |
| called the harmonic and melodic minor. | | | | 6th and.or 7th tones. |
| Harmonic and melodic minor scales actually come | | | | Here's an example: |
| from the natural minor scale. They provide more color | | | | Am natural scale (root notes in bold). All of these |
| to your lead playing, and are easy to learn. | | | | scales are really played in the 5th position. Your 1st |
| Let's go over the natural minor first. This scale comes | | | | finger needs to stretch up the neck temporarily to |
| from the 6th tone of a major scale. | | | | reach any notes on the 4th fret. |
| Here's the C major scale: | | | | E-----------5---------------7---------8------------- |
| C D E F G A B C | | | | B-----------5------6------------------8------------- |
| The 6th tone of this scale (A), gives us the starting | | | | G---4------5---------------7----------------------- |
| point for the A natural minor. Am is also called the | | | | D-----------5---------------7---------------------- |
| relative minor of C, and C is the relative major of Am. | | | | A-----------5----------------7--------8------------ |
| This relationship always comes from the 6th tone of a | | | | E-----------5----------------7--------8------------ |
| major scale. | | | | Here's the A harmonic minor: |
| A B C D E F G A | | | | E---4-------5---------------7--------8----------- |
| The definition of a harmonic minor scale is the natural | | | | B-----------5-------6----------------------------- |
| minor with the 7th tone raised 1/2 step: | | | | G---4------5----------------7--------------------- |
| A B C D E F G# A | | | | D-------------------6--------7-------------------- |
| Keep in mind here that the key of Am has the same | | | | A-----------5----------------7--------8------------ |
| key signature (how many sharps or flats) as its | | | | E-----------5----------------7--------8----------- |
| relative major, which is C. In music notation (notes on a | | | | Here's the A melodic minor ascending: |
| staff), the G# is shown as an "accidental". It's called an | | | | E----4-------5-------------7---------8----------- |
| accidental because it is an "accident" to the natural | | | | B-----------5---------------7--------------------- |
| key. | | | | G---4------5---------------7--------------------- |
| The melodic minor has different rules depending on | | | | D---4--------------6--------7-------------------- |
| whether you are going up or down the scale. | | | | A-----------5----------------7-------------------- |
| Going up, or ascending, this scale has the 6th and 7th | | | | E-----------5----------------7--------8---------- |
| tones raised 1/2 step: | | | | Remember to revert back to the harmonic minor scale |
| A B C D E F# G# A | | | | on the way back down. |
| What makes this scale interesting is what happens | | | | Now here's the thing. This is the strict definition of the |
| when we go down the scale (descending): | | | | melodic minor scale. A lot of guitarists also play the |
| A G# F E D C B A | | | | melodic minor scale the same way descending as |
| On the way down, only the 7th tone is raised. | | | | they play it ascending. If it's good for them, it's good for |
| So one could say that a melodic minor is just like a | | | | you too. Try it both ways. Think of it as just a different |
| harmonic minor except for the additional raising of the | | | | color of the scale. Just remember what the real |
| 6th tone if you playing it ascending. | | | | definition is. |