6.1 · The Minor Scale

The minor formula

The major scale has one formula. The minor scale has the other: W–H–W–W–H–W–W. Same twelve notes, same two step sizes, but the half steps land earlier. Everything built on this scale leans darker.

Two formulas, one root

C major and C minor start on the same note. Only the formula changes. Listen to the mood flip.

majorWWHWWWH
minorWHWWHWW

The dark chips are the half steps. Minor pulls them forward to steps 2–3 and 5–6.

The white-key minor

Run the minor formula from A and no black keys are needed at all: A minor is to minor what C major is to major. Tap the notes, then hear the scale. Shapes mark the anchors: 1 wears the star, ♭3 the triangle, 5 the pentagon.

Game · Build the minor scale

1 / 3

Tap the first note of A minor.

If you tap a wrong key, the hint shows the step the formula wants.

Game · Sing the minor scale

Sing A minor, bottom to top: do re me fa sol le te do.

Now sing the minor formula. Each note plays first; listen for the early half step into me.

A · do B · re C · me D · fa E · sol F · le G · te A · do

Each note plays first. Sing it back and hold it steady to lock it in.

Quiz

1 / 3

The minor formula opens with…

Score 100% on every quiz and game to complete this lesson. A perfect run sticks: a later miss never undoes it.The relative minor →