AP Music Theory: Chapter 5

major: ionian mode

minor: aolian mode

\
parallel minor

parallel major

\
major scale: WWHWWWH

minor scale: WHWWHWW

\
relative minor or major

• the minor or major scale with the same key signature
• go up 6 scale degrees to find relative minor
  • ex) C major → C, D, E, F, G, A -→ A minor
  • OR go down a third to find relative minor
  • ex) C major → C, B, A → A minor

C→ E is a third

E → C is a sixth because 3+6=9

\
three forms of minor

• natural minor
  • scale whose pitches exactly match the key signature of the relative major
  • the tonic differs
• harmonic minor
  • raises the seventh scale degree from flat 7 to 7 to create a leading tone
  • distance from 6 to 7 is larger than a whole step it is an augmented second
• melodic minor
  • differs in ascending and descending form
  • ascending: the 6th and 7th scale degrees are raised (which corresponds exactly to the major scale)
  • descending: identical to the natural minor

\
natural

Ex) A B C D E F G A

pattern

harmonic

Ex) A B C D E F G# A

pattern: W H W W W W+H

melodic

Ex) A B C D E F# G# A

pattern up: WHWWWWH

pattern down: WHWWHWW

\
leading from a tonic moment, departing from a tonic moment

\