Lesson 10 Minor Scales

A popular scale type is the minor scale. The minor scale can be used in any type of music to give a sad and more emotional sound. The minor scale can be derived from the major scale by lowering the 3rd, 6th, and 7th notes a half step. You can also make minor chords form the minor scale as well. If you want a quick way to learn the minor scale from the major scale you can play the major scale from the 6th note up an octave to the 13th note.

The Pattern

Like the major scale and major chords there is a pattern you can remember to play a minor scale. The pattern to follow for a minor scale is Step, Half, Step, Step, Half, Step, Step. Just like the patterns learned for the major scale a step is equal to two frets and a half step is equal to one step. Once you know this pattern you can start playing minor scales around the neck of the guitar.
The Am scale is a great way to learn minor scales because it doesn't have any sharps or flats. The Am scale will start on the 5th fret of the low E string. Make sure you get familiar with it and can play it comfortably forwards and backwards. The Minor scale is a great scale to practice because the pattern is easier to play than the major scale.

Minor vs. Major

There are 3 notes that change a scale, minor to major or major to minor: the 3rd, 6th, and 7th notes. If you took a major scale and made the 3rd, 6th, and 7th notes a step lower, or flat, then you would have a minor scale. Likewise if you lowered the 3rd. 6th, and 7th notes of a major chord you would have a minor chord. Let's look at the Am scale on the fretboard

To name a scale you will start of with what note the scale starts on. If the scale starts on an A note then it is some type of A scale. To figure out what type of scale it is you wlil have to know if it follows the major or minor scale pattern. If a scale starts on G and follows the major pattern after that then it is a G maj pattern.

By: James DuClos

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