Minor scale formulas constructed with respect to the Major scale.
This ° symbol often indicates the diminished chord.
This + symbol often indicates the augmented chord.
This b symbol indicates the Flat.
Examples will be illustrated using the key of A major to construct each minor scale.
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A Major scale |
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| W | W | H | W | W | W | H | steps | |
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I |
ii | iii | IV | V | vi | vii° | I | Roman |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 1 | Formula |
| A | B | C# | D | E | F# | G# | A | Notes |
| A | Bm | C#m | D | E | F#m | G#° | A | Chords |
Look at the illustration above and notice the chords in the 1, 4, 5 progression. Notice that the A, D and E chords are all major. Compare each of these chords to each minor scale below. Notice how each scale has different progressions. For example, in the major scale a 1, 4, 5 progressions would be A, D, E which are major chords. In Am the i, iv, v progression would be Am, Dm and Em.
The Aeolian mode is also known as the natural or relative minor and is illustrated below.
The Aeolian mode can be spelled or figured with the following formula with respect to the Major scale. For example we are using the key of A major to figure out the Am scale. Use the formula below to construct this scale.
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Aeolian mode or Am Scale |
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W | H | W | W | H | W | W | Steps |
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i |
ii° | bIII | iv | v | bVI | bVII | i | Roman |
| 1 | 2 | b3 | 4 | 5 | b6 | b7 | Formula | |
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | A | Notes |
| Am | B° | C | Dm | Em | F | G | Am | Chords |
Look at the illustration above and notice the 1, 4, 5 progression. Each chord in this progression is a minor chord. Compare all of the scales to the different chords is each scale. The notes highlighted in gray are the notes that are changed in the major scale to form the minor scales.
To construct the harmonic minor scale, use the following formula with respect to the major scale.
All you have to do is lower the 3rd and 6th note in the major key to get the harmonic minor scale.
A major notes: A B C# D E F# G# A
A Harmonic minor: A B C D E F G# A. It has the b3 and b6 notes compared to the major scale.
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A Harmonic Minor |
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W | H | W | W | H | W+H | H | Steps |
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i |
ii° | bIII+ | iv | V | bVI | vii° | i | Roman |
| 1 | 2 | b3 | 4 | 5 | b6 | 7 | Formula | |
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G# | A | Notes |
| Am | B° | C+ | Dm | E | F | G#° | Am | Chords |
Look at the illustration above and notice the 1, 4, 5 progression. The D is a minor and the E is a major chord. In the relative minor scale, you have an Am, Dm, and Em progression.
A melodic minor can be constructed using the following formula, with respect to the major scale. All you have to do is lower the 3rd note in the major key to get the melodic minor scale.
A major scale. A B C# D E F# G# A
A melodic minor. A B C D E F# G# A. The melodic minor will have the b3.
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A Melodic Minor |
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W | H | W | W | W | W | H | |
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i |
ii | bIII+ | IV | V | vi° | vii° | i | |
| 1 | 2 | b3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Formula | |
| A | B | C | D | E | F# | G# | A | Notes |
| Am | Bm | C+ | D | E | F#° | G#° | Am | Chords |
Check out the 1, 4, 5 progression above. Notice that the D and E chords are both Major.
Compare each of these chords to the progressions illustrated for each scale.
This may seem a bit confusing, but what I did was take the key of A major. I then used the formula's in each table to construct the minor scales. You can use any major key to accomplish this. I could have used the key C major and then constructed the C minor, C melodic and C harmonic scales in the same fashion.
Remember to construct the Aeolian or minor scale, you just flatten the 3rd, 6th and 7th notes in the major key.
 | To construct the Harmonic minor scale, you flatten the 3rd and 6th note in the major scale. |
| To construct the Melodic minor scale, you flatten the 3rd note in the major scale. |
| Melodic minor progressions |
| Harmonic minor progressions |
Good Luck,
From the Jam Room