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9
Sample
exercises
Procedures for completing various exercises related to Lesson 4
follow. Click on the exercise of your choice, or go through each,
one after another.
• Construct a
relative minor scale
• Construct a
minor scale
• Construct a
parallel minor scale
• Given a pitch
and scale degree, construct a melodic minor scale
• Given
a minor key and scale degree, write the correct pitch
Procedure for constructing a relative minor scale
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| Problem: |
Construct
the relative natural minor scale of D major in the treble
clef using a key signature |
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| 1. |
Determine the key signature for D major
(the relative minor will have the same key signature). |
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| 2. |
Go down two letter names (or scale degrees)
to find the relative minor tonic. (Hint: If
the major tonic is on a line, the relative minor tonic
will also be on a line; if the major tonic is in a space,
the relative minor tonic will also be in a space.) |
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| 3. |
Write the scale beginning with B as tonic,
using the same key signature as D major. |
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Procedure for constructing a harmonic minor scale
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| Problem: |
Construct
an f harmonic minor scale in the bass clef using a key
signature |
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Because the minor key signature is unknown
until the relative major key is determined, an extra step
is necessary in the process of writing a minor scale (unless,
of course, you have all the minor key signatures memorized
cold--not a bad idea). |
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| 1. |
Write a scale from tonic to tonic (F to
F). |
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| 2. |
Go up two letter names (scale steps) from
the minor tonic to locate the name of the relative major
tonic. |
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| 3. |
On the keyboard, go up three half steps
from the minor tonic of f. Because the third half
step landed on a black key AND this key must be named
as some version of A (see step 2), the relative major
tonic is A flat (not G sharp or A natural!). |
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| 4. |
At this point in the course, you should
know the major key signatures and know the key signature
for A flat major (which we have determined is the relative
major of f minor). |
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| 5. |
Now you can write the appropriate key signature
and natural minor scale for f minor. |
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| 6. |
Add the necessary accidental(s) to construct
the harmonic version of the f minor scale. |
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Procedure for constructing a parallel melodic minor
scale
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| Problem: |
Construct
the parallel melodic minor scale of Bb major in the bass
clef using a key signature |
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| 1. |
Determine the parallel minor tonic of Bb
major. |
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| 2. |
Determine the key signature of b flat minor.
Remember, b flat minor will have the same key signature
as its relative major, so you need to determine its relative
major key. |
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| 3. |
Write a b flat natural minor scale using
a key signature. |
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| 4. |
Add the necessary accidentals to the natural
minor scale to build the melodic form. Remember
to include both the ascending and descending versions. |
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Procedure for constructing a minor scale
given a pitch and scale degree
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| Problem: |
Construct
an ascending melodic minor scale given the following pitch
and scale degree:
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| 1. |
In this case, "E#" is the raised
sixth scale degree of a minor scale (because of the melodic
form). What would be the correct tonic? (Begin by
considering what the "natural" 6th scale degree
would be) |
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| 2. |
Determine the key signature for g# minor |
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| 3. |
Write the natural form of the g# minor scale. |
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| 4. |
Add the appropriate accidentals to construct
the melodic form (ascending only). |
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Procedure for finding the correct pitch
given a key and scale degree
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| Problem: |
Given
the following minor key and scale degree, write the correct
pitch: |
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| 1. |
Determine the relative major key of e flat
minor and its key signature. |
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| 2. |
Write the e flat natural minor scale. |
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| 3. |
Add the appropriate accidentals to construct
the harmonic form. |
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| 4. |
Write the 7th scale degree of e flat harmonic
minor. |
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Perhaps you have discovered a much simpler method to
arrive at this solution.
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