Which type of minor scale do you prefer? The first type I learnt was the harmonic... my teacher gave me a choice when I started, and harmonic seemed so much more simpler (up + down the same way). Now that I'm doing my Grade 6, I have to learn the melodic minor scales.... and they are so confusing! I always try to play the same up and down. Anyway, which ones do you like?

Harmonic,

Simply because it's the only one I can play.

Haven't even touched the other ones.

I've always done melodic - my teacher says i'm her only one who does melodics! -I find them more interesting and in a strange way easier to remember.

Well I guess it does benifit you later on in the future when you have to learn both.

Harmonic is easier to remember. I think.

I make my students learn them both *feels mean*

Harmonic they tend to choose in the exam, but melodic seems to help them understand scale construction in theory better

Hmmm

I have always learnt harmonic. My teacher didn't really give me a choice - I wasn't really concerned about it when I was 10/11, but now that I have started learning G6 scales, I like the melodic in a strange sort of way, but harmonic are far, far easier.

NM

Ascending harmonic scale sounds prettier to me - kind of exotic, like a graceful swirl of cloth as a dancer sweeps a curtsey. Descending, they all sound creepy or depressing. I know it's the same notes in the harmonic minor descending - I just don't like the way they're heading down, down, down, down.

Harmonic definetley because it's much easier to remember.

Car Expert

To younger players I always tell them to "think Arabian Nights" when they play harmonic minors - simply because the leap between the sixth and the sharpened seventh, sounds very 'middle eastern'

Interesting to note that most of my school-age students avoid the melodic minors, while the adult students adults are keen to learn both melodic and harmonic.

I was only taught harmonic up to grade 5, then when I started to learn melodic I wondered why I hadn't done them first as they lie so much more comfortably under the fingers.

I learned both at the same time. I realised that if I didn't then, then I would still have to do it at some time or other in the future. Sooner rather than later! As it happens, I have no preference.

Yeah, I wish I had done that.... now I have to learn all the melodic minors before I can do my Grade 6 exam.

Harmonic minors sound Arabian? Hmm, I never thought about it like that...

I prefer the sound of the melodic scale, and normally can play them except for the changeover at the top. Harmonics I learnt first and I find much easier

What's the 'other' option meant to be for?

Harmonic minors sound so cool that i just had to do them

If you are to play jazz, you cannot let the melodic scale aside. It's ubiquitous !

Well, I don't know why but when I make polls, I normally tend to do that. Just in case someone wants to be different....

There is a third minor scale: the natural one !! (a-b-c-d-e-f-g-a)

Dorian minor
(a-b-c-d-e-f#-g-a)

Mr Clever Clogs. I suppose you voted for that one too, "just to be different"

I'm not just being different for the sake of it

I'd always wondered what gave Elizabethan keyboard music its characteristic sound; I found out recently that it's partly due to the modality.

I don't get a choice - my teacher expects me to know all the harmonics and the melodics and also all of group A and Group B scales
The week before the exam she'll have a listen and see if any are better than the others but usually she just says, once they are all learnt , you choose. After all we are trying to learn to be a pianist not just to pass an exam.

Wow, what an admirable and fine viewpoint to have. I commend and support your teacher on her actions.

But obviously, I didn't bother to do that.

Yes, that's what we 'should' do, I guess... but I'm too lazy to do that.

I've been learning from Piano since March this year, and I've been taught and practise both melodic and harmonic scales.

True.

I have a weird sort of advantage in that I find scales in the piano pretty easy whereas the pieces I find much harder - playing scales just requires coordination of the hands, moving at the same rhythm, and making sure you hit the right keys in well-defined patterns. Playing pieces you need to keep your eyes on two lines of music, hand hands doing totally different things from each other, and even the scale or arpegiated bits which are patterns you know at not played in nice easy unison or even contrary/in intervals, but are facing something totally different in the other paw.

I will find when my pieces have advanced sufficiently that grade 4 & fives scales will be a piece of cake because know all of them already (and I've just learned a few grade 3 pieces and then going on from there but really staying at about that level or progressing slowly for a bit... not moving on too fast, so I'll have a way to go before grade 4-5 pieces are realistic!) and won't need them for ages, moving into grades 6 7 and 8 I don't know all of them but many of them. And by the time I am even playing grade 5 or 6 pieces I will have finished the ones in the grade 6 syllabus that I don't yet know and filling in the wholes.

Most people get their pieces ready for exams and then panic about the scales. Me, I'm absolutely sorted for scales for any grades that I'm likely to get to at all soon, at least partially prepared for anything up to grade 8 scales wise, and filling in gaps as I go along... and in fact, I know plenty of scales from the grade 8 syllabus and a few you don't even need for THAT, when it's unlikely I will be ready for great eight withoutseveral years' work - if I ever AM ready! Because although my scales are in great shape, it's fair to say that I have only managed grade 3 pieces with any real accomplishment!

So anyway I'm rambling. but it's just a shame that we can't do combined exams, or I'd soar through grade 6 flute (with grade 6 piano exams in lieu of flute ones) with flying colours...

I agree with you Sarah about scales being the easy bit.
Nice and safe, and always the same.
I've never had a problem with scales (playing or attitude).
I began learning scales hands together as soon as i started learning piano so they have always been part of the package... I wanted to play for a long time before I got chance and so was quite happy to do whatever I was asked to do when I finally got the chance.

Glad it isn't just me!

One days my pieces will catch up with my scales... maybe...

Harmonic, at least its the same notes up and down!

when the scales start to appear in pieces, that's when it becomes really interesting!

I was just playing the slow movement of bach's "italian concerto" : there you can find some really interesting occurences of both melodic and harmonic scales (on D), even with combinations at the same time

aynone know other interesting pieces to learn/see how scales can appear in music?

bye,

fred

Harmonic!

Well, there's also the Phrygian minor, I guess..

Oh dear, don't confuse us further!

I don't mind the scales because I'm pretty good at them (compensates for my bad sight reading!!!) but I always thought the harmonic ones sound like aladdin when they go up...

I learnt the melodic minors first without question from my teacher, so I never found them a massive problem (although I'm rubbish at all scales generally!) and then just had to learn the harmonics. I've decided to do the same with my piano pupils because it'll reduce the shock than if they started them much later, as harmonics are more methodical.

I like the sound of melodic minors, even though I learnt the harmonic ones first. I teach my pupils both and let them choose the ones they like for their exam.

Oops, sorry, Nat - I actually had my tongue in my cheek when I wrote that - someone asked what 'other' could mean and as the answers 'natural' and 'Dorian minor' had already been given it was the only other one I could think of!

Don't stress about it

I like melodics better--no +2 interval to worry about (e.g., compare e-flat melodic to e-flat harmonic in terms of ergonomics). Also, the difference between ascending and descending seems to strike a nice balance.

Harmonic it's what i compose in... i think

i feel pieces r more better for me...always practise in scale r boring for me...and i hate that(no choice).....i jus took my grade 7 piano exam n i think i screw it already......the scale played fast (tempo)
scales-i cant play in emotion because the cresc n desc note r boring
pieces-i can play full of emotion and expression

Sorry guys! But what are the two different scales!? I have only ever leanred one type, and my teacher has never told me what type it is...! Haha! Its the one where you just go straight up, then down again, what type is that? And what is the difference between both types? Thank you!! Love Allie xoxoxox

Harmonic: Same notes going up and down
Melodic: Different pattern going down.

Car Expert

If you are going to take exams you need to check which you are learning.
Up to grade 5 you are allowed to choose which you play BUT you have to know which it is too.

Prefer? Neither

I prefer major scales.

But even worse than minors are contary motion minors. Urgh.

Harmonic, but I think the natural minor should be done first to help relate then to their relative majors.

btw, I recently worked out a piece from wind band last year as being Lydian minor, so is this the klezmer/Yiddish mode?

confused?

I think the Klezmer scale must be something like
a - b - c - #d - e - f - #g - a .
Anyway it couldn't be very different from the Lydian minor scale.
I think your guess is right.

harmonic all the way!!! but i love melodic too, it's a lot more singable!

Well, I still prefer the harmonic but I've started practicing a lot of melodic minors (for G6 prep) and they've grown on me. I like the sound of when they come down.

I prefer harmonic beacuse they are easier but I'm doin melodic for Grade 4piano so I am used to them for when I start grade 6.

Melodic - found them much much easier to learn - and so much more fun too lol *weird kid*

MELODIC - When you are playing melodic passages in minor pieces, knowledge of the melodic minor notes and fingering can be extremely valuable.