| The minor scale is a simple pattern of whole tones | | | | In the case of a melodic, we can think of it as two |
| and half tones that must be followed when we play | | | | tetrachords with whole tone in the middle. |
| from any key. If we wanted to play say the A minor | | | | Minor tetrachord: whole tone, half tone and whole tone |
| scale we would just hit all the white keys starting from | | | | Major tetrachord: whole, whole and then half |
| an A key up to the next A key. If only it was that | | | | When we first learn how to play scales in minor I |
| simple. | | | | suggest we learn the natural pattern first. After we |
| The process of pressing all the white keys from A to | | | | have mastered that we learn the harmonic and then |
| the next A is just the natural minor in A. There exists | | | | the melodic last. Remember that the key to playing the |
| other types of minor scales such as harmonic and | | | | scales is loads of practise. Practise it for an hour or so |
| melodic. I find that melodic is the hardest of the three. | | | | a day and get used to the pattern. You need to |
| Expanding upon what is a whole tone and half tone, I | | | | commit the patterns to memory and hopefully get |
| can make it a little more clearer. A half tone is when | | | | them into our muscle memory. |
| we play from one key to the next. There are usually | | | | Learning how to play piano requires us to start small |
| 88 keys on the keyboard and they are black or white. | | | | and build our skills up till we get to a point where we |
| If for instance we hit the C key and then play C#/Bb | | | | can play a whole piano piece. I recommend that |
| we have played a half tone. It is quite simple. A whole | | | | people use a metronome when playing the scales. A |
| tone is just two half tones. A whole tone is like playing | | | | metronome helps you keep the correct tempo as you |
| from C to the next D key. | | | | play the scales. A key mistake that lot of beginners |
| Now that we have understood what tones are, I will | | | | make is playing at the wrong tempo or a mixed |
| explain to you the patterns that we must learn when | | | | tempo. |
| we learn how to play piano. The patterns are as such: | | | | Mastering the major and minor scales is necessary |
| Natural Minor: W, H, W, W, H, W, W | | | | before we move on to playing chords. I believe that |
| Harmonic Minor: W, H, W, W, H, W, H | | | | chords will come naturally once we know our scales |
| Melodic Minor: W, H, W, W, W, W, H | | | | properly. There is no substitute for practise. The key to |
| I have denoted a whole tone as W and a half tone as | | | | being a successful piano player is to practise. Throw in |
| H. | | | | a few hours of practise when you can and touch up |
| Going into a little detail a harmonic minor is similar to a | | | | on your scales. |
| natural minor but the seventh note is raised by a half | | | | In conclusion, the theory behind minor scales has been |
| tone. In the case of a melodic minor the sixth and | | | | discussed in detail in this article. We have learnt all |
| seventh tones of a natural minor are raised by half a | | | | about the three types of scales in minor. The major |
| tone. There is a slight twist in the melodic minor in that | | | | scale is a lot easier than the minor one. We should first |
| we play the minor naturally on the way down the | | | | learn the major scale and then move on to learning the |
| scale. Only on the way up do we follow the pattern of | | | | minor. |
| W, H, W, W, W, W, H. | | | | |