• Pitch Elements
  • Pitch
  • Melody
  • Scales
  • Harmony
  • Keys
• Time Elements
  • Beat and Meter
  • Rhythm
• Expression and Organization
  • Expression Markings
  • Basics of Form
  • Form in Popular and Art Music
• Instruments and Voices
  • Timbre
  • Instrument Families
  • Voices
  • Ensembles
• Advanced Music Theory
  • Intervals in Major and Minor Scales
  • Intervals in the Chromatic Scale
  • Time Signatures Revisited
  • Advanced Keys and Scales
  • Harmonic Series Revisited

Intervals in Major and Minor Scales

We already know the intervals between adjacent notes in major and minor scales (whole and half steps), but what about the intervals formed by different combinations? In this section we will deepen our understanding of intervals by looking at those that are formed going up from the tonic to each of the other notes of major and minor scales.

Intervals in Major Scales

When measured up from the tonic, major scales use only major intervals (2nd, 3rd, 6th, and 7th) and perfect intervals (unison, 4th, 5th, and octave). Also, the names of the intervals in the major scale correspond to the scale degree numbers. That is, for example, the interval between C (scale degree 1) and A (scale degree 6) is a major 6th.

Harmonic intervals formed between the tonic (C) and the other pitches in a C major scale

Intervals in Minor Scales

Now let's look at the intervals created in minor scales, beginning with A natural minor. The places where the pattern differs from the major scale are indicated in blue.

Many of the intervals in the natural minor scale are the same as intervals found in the major scale: major 2nd, perfect 4th, perfect 5th, and octave. However, the natural minor scale contains a minor 3rd, 6th, and 7th, whereas the major scale contains a major 3rd, 6th, and 7th. It should be noted that while the pitches of the major scale create only major and perfect intervals with the tonic, the pitches of the minor scale create minor, major, and perfect intervals with the tonic.

Other Minor Scales

In the section on scales, it was mentioned briefly that there is more than one type of minor scale, but that our consideration would be largely limited to natural minor. The other two types, melodic minor and harmonic minor, will be discussed here.

Melodic Minor Scales

The melodic minor scale was derived from the melodic practices of composers writing in minor keys. That is, theorists noticed that composers don't always use only the notes in the natural minor scale when they are writing melodies, but sometimes make alterations to the 6th and 7th scale degrees.

Melodic minor is unique because it is different going up (ascending) than it is going down (descending). The ascending melodic minor scale has a raised 6th and 7th scale degree. The 7th degree is raised by a half step to make the interval between it and the tonic into a half step, which heightens its drive toward the tonic. When it is raised in this way, the 7th scale degree of a minor scale is called the leading tone instead of the subtonic. The submediant (6th degree) is raised because otherwise the interval between scale degrees 6 and 7 would be a minor third rather than a whole or half step, which is inappropriate for some styles of composition. Descending, the melodic minor scale is identical to the natural minor scale because the need to create drive upwards (ascending) to the tonic is not necessary when a melody is descending.

Here are the ascending melodic minor intervals (the places where the pattern differs from the natural minor scale are indicated in blue):

Harmonic Minor Scales

The harmonic minor scale is another scale that music theorists derived from actual compositional practices. It is based on harmonic (or simultaneous, or vertical) practices, which means that it contains all the pitches needed for the most common and important harmonies used by composers. When working in a minor key, composers often prefer to have a dominant chord that is major rather than minor, which requires that the 7th scale degree be raised. Composers seem to prefer a major dominant chord because it provides a stronger harmonic drive towards the tonic than a minor dominant chord does. The harmonic minor scale, therefore, is the same as the natural minor scale except with a raised leading tone (7th scale degree). Since it is used for harmony rather than melody, the minor 3rd created between the 6th and 7th scale degrees does not need to be avoided as in the melodic minor scale.

Here are the harmonic minor intervals (the places where the pattern differs from the natural minor scale are indicated in blue):