What is the difference between a harmonic minor scale and a natural minor scale?

Question

While there is one form of the major key scale, minor key scales are known to have a couple variants in structure. What differentiates them?

Answer 1

To start, what is a minor scale? A minor scale is a scale built using the diatonic (notes with in a key signature) scale starting on the 6th degree of any major scale. This is the rule for all three types of minor scales; natural, harmonic, and melodic.

In a NATURAL MINOR scales, the pitches are not altered in any way from the pitches that are found in the major key it's derived from. Ex. A minor is the relative minor of C Major. C major possesses the following tones: C - D - E - F - G - A - B - C. If you count up to the 6th degree of the scale, it lands you on A. The A Natural minor scale would use all of the same notes as C major, but instead starting on C, it would start on A, giving us a tone pattern of A - B - C - D - E - F - G - A

A Harmonic Minor scale, follows the same principle of the Natural Minor in terms of how it relates to the Major Key Signature, with the exception that you alter the 7th scale degree tone in the Minor scale, by raising it a half step. So, using the same C Major and A Minor scale example as before, where the Natural Minor follows the tone pattern of A - B - C - D - E - F - G - A, the Harmonic Minor would follow a tone pattern of A - B - C - D - E - F - G# - A.

The difference can also be looked at in terms of how the 7th scale degree relates to the 8th scale degree:

1. In a Natural Minor, you would have a whole step between the 7th scale degree and the 8th scale degree.
2. In a Harmonic Minor, you would have a half step between the 7th scale degree and the 8th scale degree. Creating the same leading-tone to tonic feel that you hear in a Major Scale (Ti to Do)

Answer 2

To answer your question let's first look at the intervals of the regular minor scale.

The natural minor scale contains the intervals 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7.

In the key of A minor, that would be A B C D E F G.

If you wanted to play A harmonic minor, you'd take that same scale and raise the b7 to a natural 7.

So the intervals would be 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7. It's the same scale but with a raised 7nth.

The notes would then be A B C D E F G#.

Hope this helps! Cheers.

Answer 3

There are three types of minor scales you need to know: Melodic minor (major scale with b3), Natural minor (aeolian* minor), and harmonic minor (major scale b3, b6). Note both the melodic and harmonic minor scale include the leading tone.

C melodic minor: C, D, Eb, F, G, A, B,

C harmonic minor: C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, B

C natural (aelioan) minor: C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb

*aeolian=Greek Mode meaning 6th degree of major scale