Earlier, the
Leading Tone
was described as the most powerful melodic step that we
respond to in terms of demanding resolution. This half step between scale degrees
seven and eight is not present in the naturally occurring Minor scale. Beginning
with its antecedents in early music, the minor sonority was routinely altered to
address this perceived flaw.
Harmonic Minor
Composers chromatically raised the seventh scale degree in minor as a matter of
routine in order to provide a more powerful melodic resolution. Additionally, this
alteration affected the accompanying harmonies, engendering a more powerful
harmonic resolution as well.
This led to an additional, altered form of the minor scale. The original diatonic form
of the minor scale is called
Natural (or Pure) Minor
11
. Because of its implied
harmonic consequence, the altered version (raised 7, or +7) is called the Harmonic
Form of the Minor scale, or simply
Harmonic Minor
12
.
Figure 3.11
Natural and Harmonic Minor
Audio 7
Natural and Harmonic Minor Scales
The component scale steps for Harmonic minor are:
ˆ
ˆ
ˆ
ˆ
ˆ
ˆ
ˆ
ˆ
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
W
H
W
W
H
(1 + 1/2)
H
Observe several properties:
11. The naturally occurring
diatonic “parent” version of
the Minor scale.
12. The most commonly used and
expected form of the Minor
scale. It is altered from Natural
Minor by raising the seventh
scale degree to artificially
create a
Leading Tone
.
Chapter 3 The Foundations Scale-Steps and Scales
3.2 Heptatonic Scales: The Major Scale, The Three Forms of the Minor Scale
97
