The musical scale that differs from the
major scale in that three of the tones are flatted a half-step. It is identical to the
Aeolian mode of the
major scale.
For example:
- A Natural Minor contains the notes: A B C D E F G
- F# Natural Minor contains the notes: F# G# A B C# D E
- D Natural Minor contains the notes: D E F G A Bb C
Based on the
intervals between the notes, the standard
triads used when playing a piece in a minor scale follow the pattern:
minor,
diminished,
major,
minor,
minor,
major,
major.
Specifically, if you were to looking at a classical piece in A minor, the chords would (probably) be as follows:
i ii0 III iv v VI VII
Am Bdim C Dm Em F G
Am7 Bm7b5 Cmaj7 Dm7 Em7 Fmaj7 Gmaj7
Not a very
exciting scale. I know a guy who's vehemently opposed to using the sixth tone of the scale when playing it, because it makes it sound very slightly like you're playing the
relative major scale. I find it most interesting to throw in extra notes, in order to jump back an forth between natural minor and the
harmonic minor scale, and/or the
minor blues scale.