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  3. Ch.7.21 The G sharp minor scale

7.21 The G sharp minor scale

 

Category: Harmony | Tags: Minor scales, Ear training: scales

Theory

In this chapter, you’ll learn how you can make the G sharp minor scale by applying the sequence: whole - half - whole - whole - half - whole - whole, starting from G sharp. You’ll also learn how to make the harmonic and melodic G sharp minor scale. In the videos, I show how to play the G sharp minor scale on the piano. In the ear training exercise, you’ll learn how to recognize an wrongly played note in the B and D flat major scales and the F and G sharp minor scales.

1. The structure of the G sharp minor scale

Every minor scale consists of the following sequence: whole - half - whole - whole - half - whole - whole. When you apply this sequence starting from G sharp, you get the tones G# A# B C# D# E F# G#.

 

Video

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Examples

Which tones will you get if you construct a minor scale, starting from G sharp?

note example

piano example

 

The G sharp minor scale is comprised of the notes: G# A# B C# D# E F# G#.
The G sharp minor scale has five sharps: F sharp, C sharp, G sharp, D sharp and A sharp.
This scale is also called the natural G sharp minor scale.

2. The G sharp minor scale played on the piano

The G sharp minor scale ascending and descending, played by the right hand over one and over two octaves.

video

 

The fingering of the G sharp minor scale played with the right hand.

note example

The G sharp minor scale ascending and descending, played by the left hand over one and over two octaves.

video

 

The fingering of the G sharp minor scale played with the left hand.

note example

3. The structure of the harmonic G sharp minor scale

In the harmonic minor scale, the seventh note is raised. When you apply this to the G sharp minor scale, you get the tones G# A# B C# D# E F## G#.

 

Video

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Examples

In the harmonic G sharp minor scale, F#, the seventh note, is raised to become a F##.

note example

piano example

4. The harmonic G sharp minor scale played on the piano

The harmonic G sharp minor scale ascending and descending, played by the right hand over one and over two octaves.

video

 

The fingering of the harmonic G sharp minor scale played with the right hand.

note example

The harmonic G sharp minor scale ascending and descending, played by the left hand over one and over two octaves.

video

 

The fingering of the harmonic G sharp minor scale played with the left hand.

note example

5. The structure of the melodic G sharp minor scale

In the melodic minor scale, the sixth and the seventh notes are both raised. When you apply this to the G sharp minor scale, you get the tones G# A# B C# D# E# F## G#.

 

Video

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Examples

In the melodic G sharp minor scale, E and F#, the sixth and the seventh notes, are both raised and become E# and F##.
Descending, the sixth and seventh tones of the melodic G sharp minor scale are often not raised, but played as the natural G sharp minor scale.

note example

piano example

6. The melodic G sharp minor scale played on the piano

The melodic G sharp minor scale ascending, played by the right hand over one and over two octaves.

video

 

The fingering of the melodic G sharp minor scale played with the right hand.

note example

The melodic G sharp minor scale ascending, played by the left hand over one and over two octaves.

video

 

The fingering of the melodic G sharp minor scale played with the left hand.

note example

7. Ear training

 

Practise

Ear Training exercise 7c: being able to hear a wrongly played note in the B and D flat major scales and the F and G sharp minor scales.

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Example question

In the next scale a wrong note is played:

Which note is played incorrectly?

No image!

 

Practical steps

The notated scale is the melodic G sharp minor scale. Sing the scale being played to train your inner hearing abilties. Listen to how this scale differs from the melodic minor scale.

Answer: the wrong note being played is the sixth note, the B.