Giving variety to the musical sound is achieved in a large number of ways. Today we will analyze one of the most important - varieties of the major and minor series, in particular harmonic minor and major. Let's start with the specifications.
What is harmonic minor?
One of the types of scale related to the minor fret. This is the definition of a subheading. Its difference from natural sounding is the increase of the VII stage. The reason for this is in the presence of a simulated introductory tone, which is characteristic only for natural major.
The harmonic minor is considered the most common type of the eponymous series in both classical and pop, popular music. In ascending order, its scale is constructed as follows: T - PT - T - T - PT - one and a half tons - PT.
Thus, the enlarged second (in other words, one and a half ton), which is noticeable between the sixth and seventh stage, gives the harmonic minor a specific color. From here there is an interesting trend. In classical musical works of the XVIII - early XX centuries, which were created in minor, the transition of the melodic move to one and a half tones is avoided. An exception will be those compositions to which the author seeks to give an oriental (oriental) flavor, sounding in the spirit of the “Russian East”. Such a move for an extended second is more correctly called modalism.
Existing minor keys
Let us observe in which keys you can notice the harmonic minor:
- La Minor.
- E minor.
- B minor harmonic: the appearance of A-sharp.
- F Sharp: Seventh Stage Increase on Climb.
- C sharp: with a harmonious look, C sharp is added.
- In F minor: the sound is characterized by an increase in micro-baker.
- C Minor: Enhanced C-Baker with harmonious sound.
- G minor: in this form, a sharp sharp is set.
- Harmonic D minor is an increase in C sharp.
Harmonic major
A harmonic major is a variation of the same name scale. Its main distinguishing feature is a lowered VI level. This distinguishes a harmonic variety from a natural one.
Let's take a look at the harmonic major in the ascension trend: T - T - PT - T - PT - one and a half tones - PT. The sixth lower step here has one feature: it helps to build intervals that will be identical to the minor. As an example: increased second at this stage.
Thus, we can say that the specific coloring of the harmonic major is the same oriental flavor. Gives it a second between the sixth and seventh stage, which is increased.
What could be a minor?
Initially, the sound was represented by only one natural minor. But over time, new “colors” were added to the fret in order to diversify it. So there was a harmonic and melodic minor. Consider two species that we have not presented.
Natural . This is the name of the simple gamma, as it is, without adding random characters and taking into account only key ones. When moving up and down the scale is traced the same. In general: simple, sad, strict sound without unnecessary details.
Melodic . Its difference is that when moving upwards, two steps at once become higher - the sixth and seventh, and when moving downward, the reverse they are canceled. That is, in the latter case, the performer plays or sings an almost natural minor. The increase of the sixth step is necessary here to cover the increased interval. It is characteristic of a harmonic variety. This is necessary because the minor is melodic, and in the melody the move for an extended second is prohibited.
The increase of the VI, VII stage gives a directed, but at the same time, a softened movement towards the tonic. It is also interesting why this alteration is canceled when moving down? The simplest explanation: increasing the sixth and seventh steps gives some gaiety to the melody. But taking into account that the minor is still being performed, the repetition of such a frivolous note will be superfluous.
What could be a major?
Just like minor, major can be natural, melodic and harmonious. Consider its unrepresented varieties.
Natural . This includes the ordinary gamma with key signs, if necessary. Random characters of alteration in natural major are absent. This is the most common view in musical works from the whole three.
The sequence of tones of the scale here is as follows: T - T - PT - T - T - T - PT.
Melodic . As you remember, two steps rose in the melodic minor - the 6th and 7th. In major, they do not rise, but, on the contrary, decrease. And the VI and VII steps change already in a downward movement. That is, the rules for melodic minor are exactly the opposite. This makes it easy to remember their differences and similarities.
An interesting feature here is this: due to the lowering of the sixth step between the sounds, both increased and decreased intervals are formed - characteristic newts. But in general, in the upward movement, natural major is played here, and in the downward movement, the sixth and seventh steps decrease.
Parallel keys
Two types of keys (major and minor) are considered parallel if they have the same alteration symbols when keyed. Examples of this phenomenon:
- A minor and in C major. The parallelism is that they do not have any signs with the key.
- E minor and G major. Such keys have a f-sharp key.
If you are looking for parallelism in major key, then remember one fact. The tonic of a minor minor parallel to it will be lower by a small third.
Note that for melodic and harmonic majors all the signs of alteration are random. For example, in the harmonic E minor they are not taken out to the key, but are marked, where necessary, in the work itself.
So we sorted out two harmonic types of scale - major and minor. The first is characterized by an increased seventh step, for the second - a lowered sixth. When listening to a game or a performance, we will notice that such tonality stands out against the background of others with its orientality, oriental style, which gives classical music some zest, original sound. Besides harmonic, minor and major are characterized by a natural and melodic variety, which we also touched on in this material.