Minor Scales on the Piano

Part of the Video Series How to Play the Piano

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Learn how to play minor scales on the piano in this free online video music lesson on how to play the piano for beginners.

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Minor Scales on the Piano
Now there are three types of Minor scales. The one I played at first is called the natural Minor. Now I can play another Minor scale just by changing the very last note instead of playing a B flat like I did the first time; I play a B Natural and then I end on C. This B natural is called the leading tone and it leads us back to C. It has a much stronger pulling quality to it than the B flat does and so some people prefer that Minor scale the C Harmonic Minor scale over the Natural Minor scale. When I play the whole scale it has an exotic quality to it and some people compare it to Middle Eastern music. The third Minor scale takes the last two notes and rather than keeping them as flats brings them back to Natural notes or not flat or sharp notes. This Minor scale is called the C Melodic Minor scale and if you compare it to the Major scale there is only one note difference because the two flats we undid and the only other flat that is left is on this E flat. So it sounds almost like a Major scale and that’s why when we play it on the way back down we play it like C Natural Minor. The reason why it’s played that way which is strange because it is one of the only scales that is played differently on the way up than the way down is for historical reasons.

About the Expert

Expert: Omri Goldshtrom has been playing the piano for over 10 years. He currently teaches lessons to students of all ages. Read More