It uses both the natural minor and harmonic minor forms.įirst we start with the natural minor scale. Your browser does not support the audio tag.īlack Orpheus by the Brazilian composer Luiz Bonfa is a bossa nova classic in a minor key. These differences will be examined in this week's lesson.

The difference between these three forms of the minor scale is only one or two notes. Actually, the minor scale comes in three varieties, NATURAL MINOR, HARMONIC MINOR, and MELODIC MINOR. Another commonly used scale is the MINOR SCALE. The natural minor key signature of the bass or treble clef is used, with the differences between the two scales shown as adjustments next to the note names on the staff, not in the key signature itself.We have studied the construction of the major scale but that scale is only one of many commonly used scales in music. B-flat melodic minor key signature adjustments No The 6th and 7th note of the natural minor scale need to be raised by one half-tone / semitone, which will result in adjustment actions on the existing natural minor note names. This step shows the B-flat melodic minor key signature on a treble clef musical staff, together with a table showing the note adjustments that need to be made relative to the natural minor scale.īelow is a table showing the note name adjustments that describe the difference between this melodic scale note and the natural minor scale, whose key signature it uses.

To understand why the B-flat melodic minor scale has 3 flats, have a look at the Bb melodic minor scale page, which shows the music theory rules for identifying the note positions and names for this scale. Now compare this to the next step showing the natural minor scale (specifically the 6th and 7th notes). However, melodic minor key signatures use the natural minor key signature of the same key (in this case - Bb natural minor key signature) next to the treble clef, and then the differences between the two scales are shown as adjustments next to the note names on the staff.įirstly, in this step, the melodic minor scale is shown on a piano keyboard. Just put the correct number of sharp or flat symbols next to the treble clef. This step shows the number of sharps or flats in this melodic minor scale so that the number of symbols needed for the key signature can be identified.įor the major and natural minor scales, no more information is needed to write the key signature.