Editing Minor scale (section)

==Natural minor scale==<!--[[Natural minor scale]] redirects directly here.-->
===Relationship to relative major===
A '''natural minor scale''' (or [[Aeolian mode]]) is a [[diatonic scale]] that is built by starting on the sixth [[Degree (music)|degree]] of its [[relative major|relative]] [[major scale]]. For instance, the A natural minor scale can be built by starting on the 6th degree of the C major scale:

:<score sound="1"> {
\override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f
\relative c' { 
  \clef treble \time 7/4
  c4^\markup { C major scale } d e f g
\override NoteHead.color = #red a \override NoteHead.color = #black b c2 \bar "||"
  \time 9/4
  \override NoteHead.color = #red a,4^\markup { A natural minor scale } \override NoteHead.color = #black b c d e f g a2 }
}
</score>

Because of this, the key of [[A minor]] is called the [[relative key|''relative minor'']] of [[C major]]. Every major key has a relative minor, which starts on the 6th scale degree or step. For instance, since the 6th degree of [[F major]] is D, the relative minor of F major is [[D minor]].

===Relationship to parallel major===
A natural minor scale can also be constructed by altering a major scale with [[Accidental (music)|accidentals]]. In this way, a natural minor scale is represented by the following notation:

: 1, 2, {{music|b}}3, 4, 5, {{music|b}}6, {{music|b}}7, 8

This notation is based on the major scale, and represents each degree (each note in the scale) by a number, starting with the tonic (the first, lowest note of the scale). By making use of flat symbols ({{music|b}}) this notation thus represents notes by how they deviate from the notes in the major scale. Because of this, we say that a number without a flat represents a major (or perfect) interval, while a number with a flat represents a minor interval. In this example, the numbers mean:
* 1 = [[Unison#Interval of the unison|(perfect) unison]]
* 2 = [[major second]]
* {{music|b}}3 = [[minor third]]
* 4 = [[perfect fourth]]
* 5 = [[perfect fifth]]
* {{music|b}}6 = [[minor sixth]]
* {{music|b}}7 = [[minor seventh]]
* 8 = [[Perfect octave|(perfect) octave]]

Thus, for instance, the A natural minor scale can be built by lowering the third, sixth, and seventh degrees of the A major scale by one semitone:

:<score sound="1"> {
\override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f
\relative c' { 
  \clef treble \time 7/4
  a4^\markup { A major scale } b \override NoteHead.color = #red cis \override NoteHead.color = #black d e \override NoteHead.color = #red fis gis \override NoteHead.color = #black a2 \bar "||"
  \time 9/4
  a,4^\markup { A natural minor scale } b \override NoteHead.color = #red c! \override NoteHead.color = #black d e \override NoteHead.color = #red f! g! \override NoteHead.color = #black a2 }
}
</score>

Because they share the same tonic note of A, the key of A minor is called the [[Parallel key|''parallel minor'']] of [[A major]].

===Intervals===
[[File:A minor scale.png|thumb|This pattern of whole and half steps characterizes the natural minor scales.|260x260px]]
The [[Interval (music)|intervals]] between the notes of a natural minor scale follow the sequence below:
: whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole, whole

where "whole" stands for a [[Major second|whole tone]] (a red u-shaped curve in the figure), and "half" stands for a [[semitone]] (a red angled line in the figure).

The natural minor scale is [[Maximal evenness|maximally even]].