The Minor Scale
The minor scale is the second most important scale in Western music. Where major sounds bright and happy, minor sounds dark and melancholic. Its formula lowers three notes compared to major: the 3rd, 6th, and 7th.
Natural Minor
The natural minor scale (also called the Aeolian mode) follows the step pattern W-H-W-W-H-W-W. As semitone offsets: [0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10]. Compared to the major scale [0, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11], three notes are each lowered by one semitone: the 3rd (4 to 3), the 6th (9 to 8), and the 7th (11 to 10).
The flatted 3rd is the most important change — it is the defining difference between major and minor. Songs in minor keys have a darker, more introspective quality. Think of "Stairway to Heaven," "Losing My Religion," or "Mad World."
Harmonic and Melodic Minor
The harmonic minor scale raises the 7th degree back up by one semitone: [0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 11]. This creates a strong "leading tone" that pulls toward home, enabling the dramatic V-to-i resolution heard in classical music. The raised 7th creates an exotic-sounding gap between the 6th and 7th degrees.
The melodic minor scale raises both the 6th and 7th: [0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11]. This smooths out the harmonic minor's exotic gap while keeping the leading tone. In jazz, the melodic minor (sometimes called "jazz minor") is used in both ascending and descending directions.
Relative Minor
Every major scale has a relative minor that contains exactly the same seven notes, just starting from the 6th degree. C major (C D E F G A B) and A minor (A B C D E F G) share all the same notes. To find the relative minor, go down 3 semitones from the major root.
In ChordColor
Natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor are all available in the scale picker. When you select natural minor, the KEY row shows i-ii°-III-iv-v-VI-VII — a different pattern of major, minor, and diminished chords than the major scale produces.