Let's find out today what tonality is. To impatient readers I say right away: key- this is the consolidation of the position musical mode for musical tones of certain pitches, binding to a specific part of the musical scale. Then don’t be too lazy to figure it out thoroughly.
Word " key"You've probably already heard, right? Singers sometimes complain about inconvenient tonality, asking to raise or lower the pitch of the song. Well, someone may have heard this word from car drivers who use the tonality to describe the sound of a running engine. Let's say we pick up speed, and we immediately feel that the engine noise becomes more piercing - it changes its tone. Finally, I’ll name something that each of you has definitely encountered - a conversation in a raised voice (the person simply started yelling, changed the “tone” of his speech, and everyone immediately felt the effect).
Now let's return to our definition. So, we call tonality musical scale pitch . What frets are and their structure is described in detail in the article. Let me remind you that the most common modes in music are major and minor; they consist of seven degrees, the main of which is the first (the so-called tonic).
Tonic and mode - two most important dimensions of tonality
You’ve got an idea of what tonality is, now let’s move on to the components of tonality. For any key, two properties are decisive - its tonic and its mode. I recommend remembering the following point:
This rule can be correlated, for example, with the name of tonalities, which appear in this form: F major, A flat major, B minor, C sharp minor, etc.. That is, the name of the key reflects that one of the sounds has become the center, tonic (first step) of one of the modes (major or minor).
Key signs in keys
The choice of one or another key for recording a piece of music determines which signs will be displayed at the key. The appearance of key signs - sharps and flats - is due to the fact that, based on a given tonic, a scale grows, which regulates the distance between degrees (distance in semitones and tones) and which causes some degrees to decrease, while others, on the contrary, increase.
For comparison, I offer you 7 major and 7 minor keys, the main steps of which are taken as the tonic (on the white keys). Compare, for example, the tones C major and C minor how many characters are there in D major and what key signs V in D minor etc.
So you see that the key signs in A major- these are three sharps (F, C and G), and in A minor no signs; E major– a key with four sharps (F, C, G and D), and in in E minor only one sharp on the key. All this is because in minor, compared to major, low third, sixth and seventh degrees are a kind of indicators of the mode.
To remember what the key signs are in keys and never get confused by them, you need to master a couple of simple principles. Read more about this in the article. Read it and learn, for example, that sharps and flats in the key are not written haphazardly, but in a certain, easy-to-remember order, and also that this very order helps you instantly navigate the whole variety of tonalities...
Parallel and eponymous keys
It's time to find out what parallel tones are and what the same keys are. We have already encountered the keys of the same name, just when we were comparing major and minor keys.
Keys of the same name- these are tonalities in which the tonic is the same, but the mode is different. For example, B major and B minor, G major and G minor, etc.
Parallel keys- these are tonalities in which the same key signs, but different tonics. We also saw these: for example, the tonality C major without signs and A minor too, or G major with one sharp and E minor also with one sharp, in F major one flat (B) and B in D minor also one sign - B-flat.
The same and parallel keys always exist in the “major-minor” pair. For any of the keys, you can name the same name and parallel major or minor. Everything is clear with the names of the same name, but now we’ll deal with the parallel ones.
How to find a parallel key?
The tonic of the parallel minor is on the sixth degree of the major scale, and the tonic eponymous major– at the third degree of minor. For example, we are looking for a parallel tonality for E major: sixth stage in E major– note C sharp, which means the tonality is parallel E major – C sharp minor. Another example: looking for a parallel for F minor– we count three steps and get parallel A-flat major.
There is another way to find a parallel key. The rule applies: the tonic of the parallel key is a minor third down (if we are looking for a parallel minor), or a minor third up (if we are looking for a parallel major). What a third is, how to construct it and all other issues related to intervals are discussed in the article.
Let's sum it up
The article examined the questions: what is tonality, what are parallel and eponymous tonalities, what role do tonic and mode play, and how key signs appear in tonalities.
In conclusion - one more interesting fact. There is one musical-psychological phenomenon - the so-called color hearing. What is color hearing? This is the form absolute pitch, when a person associates each tonality with a certain color. Composers N.A. had color hearing. Rimsky-Korsakov and A.N. Scriabin. Perhaps you too will discover this in yourself. amazing ability.
I wish you success in your further study of music. Leave your questions in the comments. Now I suggest you relax a little and watch a video from the film “Rewriting Beethoven” with brilliant music The composer's 9th symphony, the tonality of which, by the way, is already familiar to you D minor.
“Rewriting Beethoven” – Symphony No. 9 (amazing music)
July 19, 2014
This article is devoted to an extremely important topic in music - tonality. You will learn what a tonality is, what parallel and eponymous tonalities are, and their letter designations will also be considered.
What is tonality?
The word itself suggests its meaning. It seems to set the tone for an entire piece of music. In fact, tonality is the basis of the work. They start from it, creating this or that musical composition. This is a kind of beginning.
So, for example, there is the key of C major. This means that the tonic, which is also the first degree of the mode, is the sound “C”. The main chord in this key consists of the sounds do-mi-sol. This chord is called the “tonic triad.”
In this regard, before disassembling and playing a piece of music, the performer determines the main tonality, modal inclination, looks at the number of key signs, and mentally determines what its parallel tonality is.
The same musical composition can be sung or played in completely different keys of the corresponding scale. This is used primarily for the convenience of vocal performance.
The parallel tonality used in the work can give a different color to the composition. So, for example, if a musical composition is written in the bright key of D major, then its parallel key is the sad and tragic B minor.
Letter designations of keys
Major is denoted by dur, minor is denoted by moll. Sharp - is, flat - es. Below is a list of some parallel keys and their letter symbols.
- C major (no signs). Designated C-dur. The parallel key is A minor (a-moll).
- F major - one flat (B). Designated F-dur. Its parallel is D minor (d-moll).
- G major - one sharp (F). Designated G-dur. The tonality parallel to it is E minor (e-moll).
- B-flat major - two flats (B, E). Designated B-dur. Its parallel is G minor (g minor).
- D major - two sharps (F, C). Designated D-dur. Its parallel is B minor (h-moll).
What are parallel tones?
These are major and minor tones that contain the same key signs, but they have different tonics.
The list above shows some keys and their parallels.
To find a parallel key to a given major one, you need to go down m.3 (minor third) from the given one.
If you need to determine a parallel tonality to a given minor one, then you need to go up from the indicated one to b.3 (major third).
The above list clearly demonstrates the parallel tonalities of the major and minor moods up to two signs per key.
Keys of the same name
These are those that have the same tonic, but different modal inclination and, accordingly, completely different signs at the key.
So, for example:
- C-dur (no signs) - C-minor (three flats).
- F-dur (one flat) - F-minor (four flats).
- G-dur (one sharp) - g-moll (two flats).
Thus, tonality is a kind of beginning of any musical composition for both the composer and the performer. Transposing a melody, that is, moving from one key to another, allows vocalists to freely perform absolutely all compositions. Such a transfer sometimes gives the work a completely new coloring. You can conduct an interesting experiment and try to perform a musical composition written in a major key in a minor key (a parallel key can also be chosen). A bright and joyful mood will turn into a sad and sorrowful one. In the twentieth century, the term “atonal music” appeared, that is, music that does not have a set tonality. But that's a completely different story...
Source: fb.ruCurrent
Miscellaneous
Miscellaneous
The last issue was devoted to consideration of such musical concepts like mode and tonality. Today we will continue to study this big topic and talk about what parallel tonalities are, but first we will very briefly repeat the previous material.
Fundamentals of mode and tonality in music
Lad- this is a specially selected group (gamma) of sounds, in which there are basic - stable steps and there are unstable ones, which are subordinate to the stable ones. The fret also has character, so there are varieties of frets - for example, major and minor.
Key– this is the altitude position of the fret, because a major or minor scale can be built, sung or played from absolutely any sound. This sound will be called tonic, and it is the most important sound of the tonality, the most stable and, accordingly, the first step of the mode.
Tones have names , by which we understand which fret is located and at what height. Examples of key names: C MAJOR, D MAJOR, E MAJOR or C MINOR, D MINOR, E MINOR. That is the name of the key conveys information about two important things - firstly, about what the tonality is (or main sound), and, secondly, what is the modal inclination of the key (what character is it - major or minor).
Finally, tonalities also differ from each other, that is, by the presence of any sharps or flats. These differences exist due to the fact that major and minor scales have a special structure in tones and semitones (read more in the previous article, that is). So, in order for the major to be a major, and the minor to be truly a minor, sometimes a certain number of modified steps (with sharps or flats) have to be added to the scale.
For example, in the key of D MAJOR there are only two marks - two sharps (F-sharp and C-sharp), and in the key of A MAJOR there are already three sharps (F, C and G). Or in the key of D MINOR there is one flat (B flat), and in F MINOR there are as many as four flats (B, E, A and D).
Now let's ask ourselves a question? Are all tonalities really, really different and there are no scales that are similar to each other? And is there really a huge insurmountable gap between major and minor? It turns out, no, they have connections and similarities, more on that later.
Parallel keys
What do the words “parallel” or “concurrency” mean? There are expressions that are well known to you, such as “parallel lines” or “ parallel world" Parallel is one that exists simultaneously with something and is similar to that something. And the word “parallel” is very similar to the word “pair”, that is, two objects, two things, or some other pair are always parallel to each other.
Parallel lines are two lines that are in the same plane, similar to each other like two peas in a pod and do not intersect (they are related, but do not intersect - isn’t that dramatic?). Remember, in geometry parallel lines are denoted by two strokes (// like this), in music this designation will also be acceptable.
So, parallel tonalities are two tonalities that are similar to each other. There is quite a lot in common between them, but there are also significant differences. What's in common? They have absolutely all sounds in common. Since the sounds are all the same, it means that all the signs - sharps and flats - must be the same. That’s right: parallel tonalities have the same signs.
For example, let’s take two keys C MAJOR and A MINOR - both there are no signs, all the sounds are the same, which means these keys are parallel.
Another example. The key is E-FLAT MAJOR with three flats (B, E, A) and the key of C MINOR is also with the same three flats. Again we see parallel tones.
What then is different between these tonalities? And you yourself look carefully at the names (C MAJOR // A MINOR). What do you think? You see, one key is major and the other is minor. In the example with the second pair (E-FLAT MAJOR // C MINOR) the same thing: one is major, the other is minor. This means that parallel keys have the opposite mode inclination, the opposite mode. One key will always be major, and the second will always be minor. Here it is: opposites attract!
What else is different? The C MAJOR scale begins with the note C, that is, the note C in it is the tonic. The A MINOR scale begins, as you understand, with the note A, which is the tonic in this key. So what happens? The sounds in these keys are absolutely the same, but the supreme commanders in them are different, different tonics. Here's the second difference.
Let's draw some conclusions. So, parallel tonalities are two tonalities in which the sounds of the scale are the same, the signs are the same (sharps or flats), but the tonics are different and the mode is opposite (one is major, the other is minor).
More examples of parallel tones:
- D MAJOR // B MINOR (both there and there are two sharps - F and C);
- A MAJOR // F SHARP MINOR (three sharps in each key);
- F MAJOR // D MINOR (one common flat – B flat);
- B FLAT MAJOR // G MINOR (two flats both there and here – B and E).
How to find a parallel key?
If you want to know how to determine parallel tonality, then let's find out the answer to this question experimentally. And then we will formulate a rule.
Just imagine: C MAJOR and A MINOR are parallel tonalities. Now tell me: at what level of C MAJOR is the “entrance to the parallel world” located? Or, in other words, which degree of C MAJOR is the tonic of parallel minor?
Now let's do it topsy-turvy. How to get out of the gloomy A MINOR into the parallel sunny and joyful C MAJOR? Where is the “portal” to go to the parallel world this time? In other words, which minor degree is the tonic of the parallel major?
The answers are simple. In the first case: the tonic of the parallel minor is the sixth degree. In the second case: the third degree can be considered the tonic of the parallel major. By the way, it is not at all necessary to get to the sixth degree of the major for a long time (that is, count six degrees from the first), it is enough to go down three steps from the tonic and we will get to this sixth degree in the same way.
Let's now formulate RULE(but not yet final). So, to find the tonic of a parallel minor, it is enough to go down three degrees from the first degree of the original major key. To find the tonic of a parallel major, on the contrary, you need to go up three degrees.
Check this rule with other examples. Don't forget that they have signs. And when we go up or down the steps, we must pronounce these signs, that is, take them into account.
For example, let's find a parallel minor for the key G MAJOR. This key contains one sharp (F-sharp), which means that the parallel key will also have one sharp. We go down three steps from G: G, F-Sharp, MI. STOP! MI is exactly the note we need; This is the sixth degree and this is the entrance to the parallel minor! So, the tonality parallel SALT MAJOR, will be E MINOR.
Another example. Let's find a parallel key for F MINOR. There are four flats in this key (B, E, A and D flat). We go up three steps to open the door to the parallel major. We walk: FA, G, A-FLAT. STOP! A-FLAT - this is the right sound, this is the treasured key! A-FLAT MAJOR is a key that is parallel to F MINOR.
How to determine parallel tonality even faster?
How can you find a parallel major or minor even easier? And, especially if we don’t know what signs there are in a given key? Let's find out again with examples!
We have just identified the following parallels: G MAJOR // E MINOR and F MINOR // A-FLAT MAJOR. Now let's see what the distance is between the tonics of parallel keys. Distance in music is measured, and if you have a good understanding of the topic, then you can easily figure out that the interval we are interested in is a minor third.
Between the sounds SOL and MI (down) there is a minor third, because we go through three steps, and one and a half tones. Between FA and A-flat (up) there is also a minor third. And between the tonics of other parallel scales, there will also be an interval of minor third.
It turns out the following RULE(simplified and final): to find a parallel key, we need to move the minor third from the tonic - up if we are looking for a parallel major, or down if we are looking for a parallel minor.
Let's practice (you can skip it if everything is clear)
Exercise: find parallel keys for C SHARP MINOR, B FLAT MINOR, B MAJOR, F SHARP MAJOR.
Solution: you need to build minor thirds. So, the minor third from C SHARP upward is C SHARP and E, which means E MAJOR will be a parallel key. From B-FLAT it also builds a minor third upward, because we are looking for a parallel major, and we get – D-FLAT MAJOR.
To find a parallel minor, move the thirds down. Thus, the minor third of SI gives us G SHARP MINOR, parallel to B MAJOR. From F-SHARP, the minor third down gives the sound D-SHARP and, accordingly, the scale D-SHARP MINOR.
Answers: C SHARP MINOR // E MAJOR; B-FLAT MINOR // D-FLAT MAJOR; B MAJOR // G SHARP MINOR; F SHARP MAJOR // D SHARP MINOR.
Are there many pairs of such keys?
In total, three dozen keys are used in music, half of them (15) are major, and the second half (another 15) are minor, and, you know, not a single key is alone, each one has a pair. That is, it turns out that there are a total of 15 pairs of tones that have the same signs. Do you agree that 15 pairs are easier to remember than 30 individual scales?
Further – even cooler! Of the 15 pairs, seven pairs are sharp (from 1 to 7 sharps), seven pairs are flat (from 1 to 7 flats), one pair is like “ white crow» without signs. It seems that you can easily name these two pure tonalities without signs yourself. Isn't this C MAJOR with A MINOR?
That is, you now need to remember not 30 scary tones with mysterious signs, and not even 15 slightly less frightening pairs, but just the magic code “1+7+7”. We will now place all these tones in a table for clarity. In this table of tonality it will immediately be clear who is parallel to whom, how many signs each has and which ones.
Table of parallel keys with their signs
|
PARALLEL TONES |
THEIR SIGNS |
||
|
MAJOR |
MINOR | HOW MANY SIGNS |
WHAT SIGNS |
|
TONALS WITHOUT SIGNS (1//1) |
|||
| C major | A minor | no signs | no signs |
|
KEYS WITH SHARES (7//7) |
|||
| G major | E minor | 1 sharp | F |
| D major | B minor | 2 sharps | fa to |
| A major | F sharp minor | 3 sharps | F to G |
| E major | C sharp minor | 4 sharps | fa to sol re |
| B major | G sharp minor | 5 sharps | fa do sol re la |
| F sharp major | D sharp minor | 6 sharps | fa do sol re la mi |
| C sharp major | A-sharp minor | 7 sharps | fa do sol re la mi si |
|
KEYS WITH FLATS (7//7) |
|||
| F major | D minor | 1 flat | si |
| B flat major | G minor | 2 flats | si mi |
| E flat major | C minor | 3 flats | si mi la |
| A flat major | F minor | 4 flats | si mi la re |
| D flat major | B flat minor | 5 flats | si mi la re sol |
| G flat major | E-flat minor | 6 flats | si mi la re sol do |
| C flat major | A-flat minor | 7 flats | si mi la re sol do fa |
You can download the same plate in a more convenient form as a cheat sheet in pdf format for printing -
That's all for now. In the following issues, you will learn what keys of the same name are, as well as how to quickly and forever remember the signs in keys, and what is the method for quickly identifying the signs if you have forgotten them.
Well, now we invite you to look at the hand-drawn animated film with amazing music by Mozart. One day Mozart looked out the window and saw a military regiment passing along the street. A real military regiment in shiny uniforms, with flutes and Turkish drums. The beauty and grandeur of this spectacle so shocked Mozart that on the same day he composed his famous “Turkish March” (finale of piano sonata No. 11) - a work known throughout the world.
W. A. Mozart “Turkish March”
Major keys
Minor keys
Parallel keys
Enharmonically equal tonalities
Enharmonically equal tonalities are tonalities that are the same in sound, but different in name.
Comments:
03/29/2015 at 14:02 Oleg spoke out:
I did not see a table with all the signs in the key in all POSSIBLE keys. There is a table, but what is needed is not there!
04/05/2015 at 23:54 Svetlana spoke out:
Hello. Write specifically what tonality you are interested in, I will answer you.
01/21/2016 at 16:06 Julia spoke out:
Keys missing from the table are G-dur and e-moll
01/21/2016 at 16:17 Svetlana spoke out:
Fixed, thanks!
02/19/2016 at 18:59 Maxim spoke out:
I'm interested in C flat major. And could you make a separate article where different chords are built in different keys?
02/19/2016 at 22:25 Svetlana spoke out:
Hello, Maxim. There are seven flats in C-flat major. I recommend that you replace it with the key of B major, they are enharmonically equal, and there will be fewer signs - 5 sharps.
There are no immediate plans to write such an article.
08/30/2017 at 04:52 I need to build d7 with appeals in 24 keys, but for some reason I find 30 keys everywhere on the Internet. Why? spoke out:
I accidentally wrote my question in my name.
04/25/2018 at 14:25 Peter spoke out:
Guys, in fact, all of the above is very useful, and necessary for application in practice. I just don’t understand those who leave bad reviews due to insufficient understanding of the topic.
08.10.2018 at 17:36 Julia spoke out:
Good afternoon,
The child was given a pre-task: signs in keys up to 3 with # and b.
Unfortunately, this is already the 4th solfeggio teacher in 3 years, the material is given in pieces. My daughter doesn’t understand at all what it is and what they want from her.
Tell me please.
01/02/2019 at 21:33 morozalex2018 spoke out:
G-dur and e-moll are in the table, look carefully
02/09/2019 at 09:16 Eve spoke out:
Thank you! Very useful article, saved it👏🏻👍🏻
04/16/2019 at 19:33 Lida spoke out:
What are the signs in F flat minor?
04/21/2019 at 23:48 Oleg spoke out:
Useful advice
04/21/2019 at 23:49 Oleg spoke out:
Useful information
04/21/2019 at 23:55 Oleg spoke out:
Let's look at the key of F flat minor. So, in the key of F minor there are 4 flats, and in F flat minor there are 7 more flats, that is, 4+7=11b. Some may say that this cannot happen. The answer is - maybe!! In F flat minor there are 4 double flats: these are -bbb, mibb, abb and rebb. And also saltb, dob and fab.
04/22/2019 at 00:05 Oleg spoke out:
Tonality with a large (more than six) number of key characters can be replaced by a tonality with a smaller number of characters. The main thing is that the sum of the original and replaced characters is equal to 12, and also that they are opposite. For example, if you have 8 flats, then we do: 12-8b = 4# (F flat major 8b. A E major - 4#). Such tonalities are called enharmonically equal, that is, equal in sound. But in terms of name and notation of notes (scales), they are different.
05.10.2019 at 21:17 Max spoke out:
According to my information, the note B is denoted by the Latin letter H, and not by the letter B. The letter B, according to my information, is denoted by the note Bb, but not B.
It so happened that the most heartbreaking compositions were written in minor keys. It is believed that the major mode sounds cheerful, and the minor mode sounds sad. In that case, have a handkerchief ready: this entire lesson will be dedicated to “sad” minor modes. In it you will learn what these keys are, how they differ from major ones and how to play minor scales.
By the nature of the music, I think you will unmistakably distinguish between a cheerful, energetic major and a gentle, often sad, plaintive, and sometimes tragic minor. Remember the music and, and the differences between major and minor will become more than obvious to you.
I hope you haven't quit studying? I will remind you of the importance of these seemingly boring activities. Imagine that you stop moving and putting stress on your body, what will be the result? The body will become flabby, weak, and in places fat :-). It’s the same with your fingers: if you don’t train them every day, they will become weak and clumsy, and will not be able to play the pieces you love so much. So far you have only played major scales.
Let me tell you right away: minor scales are no smaller in size (and no less important) than major scales. They were just given such an unfair name.
Like major scales, minor scales are made up of eight notes, the first and last of which have the same name. But the order of intervals in them differs. The combination of tones and halftones in a minor scale is as follows:
Tone – Semitone – Tone – Tone – Semitone – Tone – Tone
Let me remind you that in major it is: Tone – Tone – Semitone – Tone – Tone – Tone – Semitone
It may look like a combination of intervals in a major scale, but in fact the tones and semitones are in a different order. The best way to feel this sound difference - play and listen to the major and minor scales one after the other.
As you probably noticed, the main difference between the major and minor modes lies in the third degree, the so-called third tone: in a minor key it is lowered, forming with the tonic (m.3).
Another difference is that in major mode the composition of the intervals is always constant, but in minor it can change in the upper steps, which creates three different types of minor. Maybe it is precisely from this diversity of the minor that brilliant works are obtained?
So what are these different types, you ask?
There are three types of minor:
- natural
- harmonic
- melodic.
Each type of minor is characterized by its own composition of intervals. Up to the fifth stage, they are the same in all three, but at the sixth and seventh steps variations arise.
Natural minor– Tone – Semitone – Tone – Tone – Semitone – Tone – Tone
Harmonic minor differs from the natural one by the raised seventh degree: raised by half a tone, it is moved towards the tonic. The interval between the sixth and seventh steps thereby becomes wider - it is now one and a half tones (called an increased second - uv.2), which gives the scale, especially in the downward movement, a peculiar “oriental” sound.
In harmonic minor, the composition of the intervals is as follows: Tone - Semitone - Tone - Tone - Semitone - One and a half tone - Semitone
Another type of minor is melodic minor, also known as jazz minor (found in most jazz musical works). Of course, long before the appearance jazz music composers such as Bach and Mozart used this type of minor as the basis of their works.
Both in jazz and classical music(and in other styles too) the melodic minor differs in that it has two degrees raised - the sixth and seventh. As a result, the order of intervals in the melodic minor scale becomes as follows:
Tone – Semitone – Tone – Tone – Tone – Tone – Semitone.
I like to call this scale a fickle scale because it can't decide whether to sound major or minor. Look again at the order of the intervals in it. Please note that the first four intervals are the same as in the minor scale, and the last four intervals are the same as in the major scale.
Now let's touch on the question of how to determine the number of key signs in a particular minor key.
Parallel keys
And here the concept emerges parallel keys.
Major and minor keys with the same number of signs (or without them, as in the case of C major and A minor) are called parallel.
They are always separated from each other by a minor third - the minor scale will always be built on the sixth degree of the major scale.
The tonics of parallel keys are different, and the composition of the intervals is different, but the ratio of white and black keys is always the same. This once again proves that music is a realm of strict mathematical laws, and, having understood them, you can move in it easily and freely.
Understanding the relationship between parallel keys is not so difficult: play the C major scale, and then the same one, but not from the first step, but from the sixth, and stop at the sixth at the top - you have played nothing more than a “natural minor” scale in the key of A minor.
In front of you list of parallel keys with their Latin designations and the number of key characters.
- C major/A minor - C-dur/a-moll
- G major/E minor - G-dur/e-moll (1 sharp)
- D major/B minor - D-dur/H-moll (2 sharps)
- A major/F-diee minor - A-dur/f:-moll (3 sharps)
- E major/C sharp minor - E major/cis minor (4 sharps)
- B major/G sharp minor - H-dur/gis-moll (5 sharps)
- F-sharp major/D-sharp minor - Fis-dur/dis-moll (6 sharps)
- F major D minor - F-dur/d-moIl (1 flat)
- B-flat major/G minor - B-dur/g-moll (2 flats)
- E-flat major/C minor - E-dur/c-moll (3 flats)
- A-flat major/F minor - As-dur/F-moll (4 flats)
- D-flat major/B-flat minor - Des-dur/b-moll (5 flats)
- G-flat major/E-flat minor - Ges-dur/es-moll (6 flats)
Well, now you have an idea about the minor, and now all this knowledge can be put into practice. And we must start, of course, with scales. Below is a table of all existing major and parallel minor scales with all the fingerings (finger numbers). Take your time, don't rush.
Let me remind you how to play scales:
- Play slowly with each hand a scale of 4 octaves up and down. Note that in the sheet music app, finger numbers are given at the top and bottom of the notes. Those numbers that are above the notes refer to right hand, below - to the left.
- Note that the Melodic Minor, unlike the other two types of minor scale, will not be built the same way when moving up and down. This is due to the fact that in a descending movement the sudden transition from major (with which the intervals melodic minor coincide from the first degree to the fourth) in minor will not sound very pleasant. And to solve this problem, the downward movement uses a natural minor - the seventh and sixth degrees return to the original position of the minor scale.
- Connect with both hands.
- Gradually increase the tempo of playing scales, but at the same time ensure that the playing is even and rhythmic.
In fact, a composer is not required to use all the notes from any scale in his melody. The composer's scale is a menu from which you can select notes.
The major and minor scales are without a doubt the most popular, but they are not the only scales that exist in music. Don't be afraid, experiment a little with the order of alternating intervals in the major and minor scales. Replace a tone somewhere with a semitone (and vice versa) and listen to what happens.
What will happen is that you will create a new scale: neither major nor minor. Some of these scales will sound great, others will sound terrible, and others will sound very exotic. Creating new scales is not only allowed, but even recommended. Fresh new scales give life to fresh new melodies and harmonies.
People have been experimenting with interval ratios since the dawn of music. And although most experimental scales have not gained such popularity as major and minor, in some musical styles these inventions are used as the basis of melodies.
And finally, I’ll give you a little interesting music in minor keys
