Scales & Key Signatures: Spelling Natural Minor Scales - The Natural Minor Scale as a Pattern of Whole- and Half-Steps

An alternate way to spell natural minor scales is by knowing the formula of whole and half steps.

Return to the simplest natural minor scale to memorize: a-b-c-d-e-f-g-a.

The formula is WHWWHWW:

• a-b is a whole step,
• b-c is a half step,
• c-d and d-e are whole steps,
• e-f is a half step, and
• f-g and g-a are whole steps.

Notice that this formula follows the same order as the one for a major scale, just starting on a different 'W."

• Thus, we can call the pattern for the natural minor scale a rotation of the major-scale pattern.