How do you turn a major scale into a natural minor? (I play clarinet)?

Question

Well I have all my majors memorized, and I know how to play my melodic minors, but I always forget how to turn a major scale INTO a natural minor. I started in 6th grade and now I'm in 8th but I'm looking into playing jazz and I need a better knowledge of scales and chords. =]

Answer 1

C major
C D E F G A B C

C minor (natural)
C D Eb F G Ab Bb C
note b on 3 6 and 7 both ways

C minor (melodic)
C D Eb F G A B C Bb Ab G F Eb D C
note b 3 up but b 3 6 and 7 down

C minor (harmonic)
C D Eb F G Ab B C
note b 3 and 6 but not 7 both ways.

The relative minor of any major is the scale that starts on the 6th. The relative minor of C major is a minor - a is the 6th scale step of C major. The natural minor scale will have the key signature of the relative. a minor (natural) has the key signature of C major.

Answer 2

I think I'm understanding your question correctly. If you have a major scale, say A major, how do you turn it into a natural minor. There are at least two ways that will work:
1. Simply lower the third, sixth, and seventh tones by a half step. The A Major Scale is A B C# D E F# G# A. Tones 3, 6, and 7 are C#, F#, and G#. Lower them each by a 1/2 step and you get A B C D E F G A.
2. The other method involves knowing how to find relative major and minor keys. Let's say you want to build an a natural minor scale. First you go up three half steps from A to find the relative major key. That would be C major. Then build a scale from a to a using the notes that are in the C Major scale. The C Major scale is all natural, so the notes for the a natural minor scale, again, are A B C D E F G A

Answer 3

Some of these answers are a real worry, especially one purporting to come from a clarinet teacher. But your question is also ambiguous. Do you want the RELATIVE natural minor, which has the same key signature? Or to turn a Major into its TONIC natural minor, which starts on the same note?

CoachT is correct on both. If you play a Major scale, then play the same set of notes but starting on number 6, that is the natural minor scale of the relative minor key. If you play a Major scale, then play the same scale starting on the same note, with a flat 3rd, 6th and 7th, that is the natural minor scale of the tonic minor key.

Answer 4

Yeah the answers that are popping up here are very worrisome haha!

Jennifer Joy is exactly correct!

Do some research on modes http://www.theorylessons.com/modes005themodes.php

Not to mention The Circle Of Fifths will be a great tool to have at your disposal.

Good luck!

Answer 5

easiest way is to find the relative minor scale (same key signature)
for example; take C major scale, the relative minor scale would start on the 6th note of that scale (c to c for maj., a to a for the relative minor)

as for jazz chops; get the book "patterns for jazz" by jerry coker- it's full of arpeggios riffs and licks to build a solid foundation for improv.

Answer 6

flatten the 3rd note (of the major scale) for natural minor
flatten the 3rd and sharpen the 6th and 7th for harmonic minor

Answer 7

When the third is flat a chord becomes a minor.

Answer 8

I think you make the 3rd and 7th notes a half step higher.