MusicianCV · TR

Harmonic minor

Open the interactive module

Building scales

Play A B C D E F G♯ A in order. The step pattern is 2 1 2 2 1 3 1, including 3 semitone steps.

Play the displayed notes in order. The numbers are semitone distances between adjacent pitches. In a descending example they measure downward distances.

Example

Pitch sequence / successive semitones · A B C D E F G♯ A / 2 1 2 2 1 3 1

Pitch sequence / successive semitones

A B C D E F G♯ A 2 1 2 2 1 3 1

Try it

How do you move the pattern to a new starting pitch?

AnswerChoose a new start and apply the same steps in the same direction. The tetrachord examples use four notes.

Related topics

Building a major scale

References

Music Theory for the 21st-Century Classroom · Further reading

Subject-expert review pending.