Piano for Beginners 6th ED - 2016 UK

Chords and scales

C#

A

Bb

B

C

The first of three minor scales

Natural minor scales

In a way, natural minor scales aren’t too far removed

from major scales. Take a natural minor scale – we’ll

use ‘A’ – then find its relative major by counting

three semitones higher – in this case it’s C. The

relative major’s key signature will be same for the

minor (so no sharps or flats), but you will start on

the root note of the natural minor. So A natural

minor would comprise A, B, C, D, E, F, and G – the

notes of C major but starting on A. B major is a scale

that uses all the black keys and get a bit confusing;

however, B minor is pretty simple. This is because its

relative major is D, which only has two sharps. So B

natural minor comprises B, C#, D, E, F#, G,and A –the

same notes as D major, although it starts on B.

“Take a natural minor scale then find its relative

major by counting three semitones higher”