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Contents

Contents ........ 2
Introduction ....3
The 4 big Minors to know .... 4
The Importance of the 6th and 7th ... 5
C minor 6th and 7th with numbers ...6
Harmonising the Natural Minor .... 7
Harmonising the Dorian ..... 8
Harmonising the Harmonic Minor ..... 9
Harmonising the Melodic Minor ....10
Harmonising the Jazz Melodic Minor...11
C Minor ...12
C# Dminor ....13
D Minor....14
Eb Minor ....15
E Minor ....16
F Minor .....17
F# Minor ....18
G Minor .....19
G# Minor .....20
A Minor ....21
Bb Minor....22
B Minor ....23
FAQ

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Introducton

Thanks for purchasing this Jazzduets resource.

Learning and becoming familiar with the unique sound worlds of each Minor scale is
of paramount importance for the improvisor and composer.
It took me years and years to appreciate this. Please don’t take as long as I did!

This Pdf has been designed to help you get really inside the 4 most used Minor
scales: Natural, Dorian, Harmonic and Melodic. (BTW the Dorian is a mode, but
it is still a minor)
To do this I have re-enforced each Minor scale with chords so as to bring out the
unique particular sound emotions each one imbues.

I believe this exercise to be so tremendous and vital for the following reasons:

1) Adding chords emphasizes the unique colour of each Minor so this helps to train-
our ear to perceive the differences between these minor scales .

2) If we can master these vital sounds we can take our playing and musicianship to
much higher profounder levels as we are expanding our harmonic knowledge of each
different Minor.

How to use
Practice singing the scale whilst playing the chords on the Piano.
Practice slowly. Once these sounds have been internalised your playing
and muscianship will move up. This is best done without hurry!
Take the time to experience the very different sounds of each Minor.
As well beable to think what the function of each note is (example, the note Ab in
Cminor is the minor 6th)
Experience and put your attention on the uniqueness of the minor 6th, natural 6th
minor 7th , major 7th when heard in the context of a Minor tonality.

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The 4 big Minors to know

The 4 minor scales shown below in C Minor are the most widely used in Jazz and Pop.

Presented like this, it is not so easy to appreciate the massive differences and
fundamental characteristics of each one. Especially if the scales are played quickly
without harmony.

So a tip is to play and sing the scales slowly

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The Importance of the 6th and 7th

The first 5 notes of each minor scale are the same. The real action occurs in the
6th and 7th degree.
These 6th and 7th degrees colour each scale uniquely and as such are so important,
to know in all keys.

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C minor 6ths+7ths with numbers

Focussing on the top portions of the scales as shown above is perhaps the most
concise and efficient way of practicing these colourful notes.

TIPs
-Practice singing these top parts of the 4 Minors with and without the
instrument as a reference.
- Pick a key and visualize the notes on the stave or on your instrument.
It does not matter if you do not have Perfect Pitch!
Relative/ Context Pitch is more important, as we are learning how the notes
feel together!

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Harmonising the Natural Minor

I- V- I- IV- I- IV- V- I- I- V- IV- I- IV- I- V- I-

The most basic Harmonisation of the Natural Minor uses chords I-, IV- and V- (all minor)
In C minor these chords are C minor, F minor and G minor.
All these chords are Minor. This makes for a quite bleak, sombre sound.
This sound is like a cold winters day for me.
How is it for you? Take the time to describe the sound in words. What images does
this scale suggest to you?

Alternate Harmonization of the Natural Minor

Below is an alternate Harmonisation of the Natural Minor that features 2 major

chords. These chords, the flat 6 major and flat 7 major are often heard in Popular
Music.

I- bVII bIII IV- I- bVI bVII I- I- bVII bVI I- bVII I- bVII I-

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Harmonising the Dorian (Mode)

I- bVII I- IV I- IV bVII I- I- bVII IV I- IV I- bVII I-

The Dorian contains and features the Natural 6th. (in Cminor this is A natural)
This one note makes a huge difference, and therefore is of paramount importance.

It could be said then that the Natural 6th is THE defining note of the Dorian.

Harmonically the difference now is that the IV chord is Major

In C minor, the IV chord is F major. This is a bright, optimistic sound, that is used so much
in Jazz and popular Music.
In the Dorian harmonization the bVII chord Bb major is featured as well. This bVII
is a muscular chord heard so much in Rock music.

Alternate Harmonization for Dorian Minor

I- IV6 I- IV I- IV I-7 IV I- bIII IV I- IV I-7 bVII I-

The above alternate harmonization of the Dorian minor features mainly 2 chords:
C- and F major. Together these chords make up the famous Jazz II V progression.

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Harmonising the Harmonic Minor

I- V I- IV- I- IV- V I- I- V IV- I- IV- I- V I-

The Harmonic minor features the minor 6th and the major 7th notes of the scale.
In C minor the Minor 6th is Ab and the Major 7th is B natural.
This melody of scale has a striking sound as between the Minor 6th and Major 7th
there is an interval of a Minor 3rd, which sticks out strongly.

The harmonization above features a IV minor chord and a V Major chord

Alternate Harmonization for the Harmonic Minor

I- V I- bII I- bII V I- I- V bII I- bII I- V I-

The alternate Harmonization of the harmonic minor features a non diatonic bII chord in
first inversion.
This is called a Neapolitan chord as well in formal terms. This chord is substituting for
the IV minor F minor. There is just one note different in fact, the non diatonic Db.
You may have heard this profound sound before as it is so striking and unforgettable.

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Harmonising the Melodic Minor

I- V I- IV I- IV V I- I- bVII bVI I- IV- I- V- I-

The classical Melodic Minor is a rich and fascinating scale as it is different ascending and
descending.

Ascending the 6th and 7ths are Natural (like the Major scale) In C minor the 6th is A
and the 7th is B natural.
Descending these notes are minor. The minor 7th is Bb and the Minor 6th is Ab.

Ascending the sound is perhaps brighter. Descending it is more sombre.

Alternate Harmonization for the Melodic Minor

I- V I- IV I- IV V I- I- V- IV- I- IV- I- V- I-

The alternate harmonization above features the V minor and IV minor chords descending
as heard in the Natural Minor.

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The Jazz Melodic Minor

The Jazz Melodic minor, unlike the ‘classic’ Melodic minor is the same ascending
and descending.

I- V I- IV I- IV V I- I- V IV I- IV- I- V I-

The unique part of this scale is the descent. No other Minor descends with the natural
6th and natural 7th degrees.
Going down the scale from the highest note then this Jazz melodic is the same as the
major scale for the first 4 notes.
Actually the only difference between the Jazz melodic and the Major scale is that the
Jazz melodic contains the minor 3rd.
The harmony above is one Minor chord and 2 Major chords. C- , F and G major.

Alternate Harmonization for the Jazz Melodic Minor

I-6 II-6 I-7 II-6 I-6 II-6 V9 I-6 I-6 IV7 nVI-7b5 I-6 IV7 I-6 V9 I-6

The Jazz Melodic minor is arguably the most used scale in (modern) Jazz.
In the alternate harmonisation you can see richer chords have been employed.
The Tonic C minor chord is now flavoured with the natural 6th, A natural. The II minor
chord is also a Minor with the natural 6th (B natural).
Other Jazz chords have been used. For instance A-7b5 which actually has the same
exact notes as C minor 6. The F7#11 is the IV7 chord and is heard in Jazz classics
such as ‘Willow weep for me’

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C Minor

I- V- I- IV- I- IV- V- I- I- V- IV- I- IV- I- V- I-

I- bVII I- IV I- IV bVII I- I- bVII IV I- IV I- bVII I-

I- V I- IV- I- IV- V I- I- V IV- I- IV- I- V I-

I- V I- IV I- IV V I- I- bVII bVI I- IV- I- V- I-

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C# Minor

I- V- I- IV- I- IV- V- I- I- V- IV- I- IV- I- V- I-

I- bVII I- IV I- IV bVII I- I- bVII IV I- IV I- bVII I-

I- V I- IV- I- IV- V I- I- V IV- I- IV- I- V I-

I- V I- IV I- IV V I- I- bVII bVI I- IV- I- V- I-

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D Minor

I- V- I- IV- I- IV- V- I- I- V- IV- I- IV- I- V- I-

I- bVII I- IV I- IV bVII I- I- bVII IV I- IV I- bVII I-

I- V I- IV- I- IV- V I- I- V IV- I- IV- I- V I-

I- V I- IV I- IV V I- I- bVII bVI I- IV- I- V- I-

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Eb Minor

I- V- I- IV- I- IV- V- I- I- V- IV- I- IV- I- V- I-

I- bVII I- IV I- IV bVII I- I- bVII IV I- IV I- bVII I-

I- V I- IV- I- IV- V I- I- V IV- I- IV- I- V I-

I- V I- IV I- IV V I- I- bVII bVI I- IV- I- V- I-

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E Minor

I- V- I- IV- I- IV- V- I- I- V- IV- I- IV- I- V- I-

I- bVII I- IV I- IV bVII I- I- bVII IV I- IV I- bVII I-

I- V I- IV- I- IV- V I- I- V IV- I- IV- I- V I-

I- V I- IV I- IV V I- I- bVII bVI I- IV- I- V- I-

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F- Minor

I- V- I- IV- I- IV- V- I- I- V- IV- I- IV- I- V- I-

I- bVII I- IV I- IV bVII I- I- bVII IV I- IV I- bVII I-

I- V I- IV- I- IV- V I- I- V IV- I- IV- I- V I-

I- V I- IV I- IV V I- I- bVII bVI I- IV- I- V- I-

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F# Minor

I- V- I- IV- I- IV- V- I- I- V- IV- I- IV- I- V- I-

I- bVII I- IV I- IV bVII I- I- bVII IV I- IV I- bVII I-

I- V I- IV- I- IV- V I- I- V IV- I- IV- I- V I-

I- V I- IV I- IV V I- I- bVII bVI I- IV- I- V- I-

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G Minor

I- V- I- IV- I- IV- V- I- I- V- IV- I- IV- I- V- I-

I- bVII I- IV I- IV bVII I- I- bVII IV I- IV I- bVII I-

I- V I- IV- I- IV- V I- I- V IV- I- IV- I- V I-

I- V I- IV I- IV V I- I- bVII bVI I- IV- I- V- I-

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G# Minor

I- V- I- IV- I- IV- V- I- I- V- IV- I- IV- I- V- I-

I- bVII I- IV I- IV bVII I- I- bVII IV I- IV I- bVII I-

I- V I- IV- I- IV- V I- I- V IV- I- IV- I- V I-

I- V I- IV I- IV V I- I- bVII bVI I- IV- I- V- I-

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A Minor

I- V- I- IV- I- IV- V- I- I- V- IV- I- IV- I- V- I-

I- bVII I- IV I- IV bVII I- I- bVII IV I- IV I- bVII I-

I- V I- IV- I- IV- V I- I- V IV- I- IV- I- V I-

I- V I- IV I- IV V I- I- bVII bVI I- IV- I- V- I-

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Bb Minor

I- V- I- IV- I- IV- V- I- I- V- IV- I- IV- I- V- I-

I- bVII I- IV I- IV bVII I- I- bVII IV I- IV I- bVII I-

I- V I- IV- I- IV- V I- I- V IV- I- IV- I- V I-

I- V I- IV I- IV V I- I- bVII bVI I- IV- I- V- I-

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B Minor

I- V- I- IV- I- IV- V- I- I- V- IV- I- IV- I- V- I-

I- bVII I- IV I- IV bVII I- I- bVII IV I- IV I- bVII I-

I- V I- IV- I- IV- V I- I- V IV- I- IV- I- V I-

I- V I- IV I- IV V I- I- bVII bVI I- IV- I- V- I-

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FAQ

Q. What does this minus - symbol mean?

A. This is shorthand for Minor

Q. Why do you not harmonise the chords diatonically. eg in C Natural mi-

nor
C- Do Eb maj F- Go Ab Bb? Why just mainly 3 chords?
A. Good question. The I IV and V chords are more usable in real life.
The diatonic chords are good as well, but using the I, IV and V chords is like
getting straight to the heart of the matter.

Q. What is a bVI chord?

A. In C minor this is Ab major.

Q.What other minor scales are there to learn?

A. a)The Phrygian minor with the flattened 2nd degree.
b) The Pentatonic Minor
c) The Hungarian Minor with the raised 4th

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