Hello and welcome back. I'm Joseph Hoffman, and today we're going to be reviewing some minor scales and arpeggios
and trying them out in two octaves. Let's come to the piano to get started.
Let's do a quick review of the ladder of fourths without actually looking at the ladder of fourths.
So I'd like you to get used to thinking it in your mind whenever you need to reference it.
Remember that the key of C
C major as zero sharps or flats, and the key of C major has a relative minor.
Every major key has a relative minor with the same number of sharps and flats. That's what makes them relatives.
To find the relative from a major you just go down the skip of a third.
So A minor
also has zero sharps or flats. This is A natural minor and A harmonic minor.
Now if we go up a fourth from the key of C,
where do we get? One, two, three, four, a fourth above C is F.
F major has one flat. Anytime you go up a fourth,
that new key will have one additional flat. So we have F major.
Where would be the relative minor for F major?
If you said D, you're correct. Remember it's just a skip, the skip of a third below gives you the relative minor. So we use the same flat,
which is B-flat, to give you the key of D minor.
Now, what's a fourth above F on our ladder of fourths?
You might think B, but it's actually B-flat because once we introduce a flat or sharp on the ladder, it stays all the way up the ladder.
So now we're in the key of B-flat
with two flats. We have a B-flat and E-flat now.
If we go a skip below B-flat, that will give us our minor key.
Where's a skip below B-flat?
If you go the skip of a third down, we land on G.
So G minor
also has two flats. It's the same two flats. That's what makes them relatives.
So G minor is next on our ladder of fourths.
And now let's take a quick look at the ladder of fourths to see what we just saw.
On the major side we went through C major, F major, and B-flat major.
On the minor side, all the relative minors, we had A minor with zero flats, D minor with one flat, and G minor with two flats.
Now those three minor keys are what we're viewing today. This time doing them in two octaves.
So let's review the fingering. These three minor skills all use what I call the basic fingering for scales,
and the basic finger basically alternates patterns of three fingers and four fingers.
We have a pattern of three, then a pattern of four then a pattern of three,
then a pattern of four, and then we finish with finger 5 on top like this. We go 1 2 3 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 and then 5 on top.
So the secret to playing scales is to think three, four, three, four. Okay, let's try it together now.
Start on A. We're going to play an A natural minor scale. All white keys and alternate fingers 3 and 4. Let's say the finger numbers out loud as we play.
Right hand finger 1 on A. Ready, go: 1 2 3 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5, stop.
Good, now when we come down we're going to start with a 5,
then we do a group of four, then a group of three, then a group of four, then a group of three.
Okay, let's try it together. Start on your finger 5 up high with an A, go: 5 4 3 2 1, 3 2 1, 4 3 2 1, 3 2 1.
Great.
Good, now let's look at the fingering for the left hand. We have 5, then a group of four, 4 3 2 1, then a group of three, then a group of four,
then a group of three. Coming down a group of three, then a group of four, then three, then four, ending with finger 5.
Now, pause the video and I'd like you on your own to try these, try the A natural minor scale in two octaves.
Right hand, left hand, be very careful of the fingering. You want to train the correct fingering from the start.
Try that on your own, then press play to go on.
Great, now let's look at A harmonic minor.
Now we have 1 2 3 1 2 3 finger 4 has to come up to that G-sharp, then finger 1 comes under,
and then 4 again on the G-sharp.
Remember for harmonic minor we take the seventh note and raise it a half step. One, two, three, four, five, six,
the seventh note goes up a half step for harmonic minor.
It gives it that unique harmonic minor sound.
The left hand has the same fingering as before. 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 2 1
Now, press pause and work on the A harmonic minor scale right hand and left hand alone, then press play to go on.
Now let's review the A minor arpeggio. So the fingering for our arpeggio,
our arpeggio, that's hard to say. Then go 1 2 3,
So see how your fingers have to reach out a little bit. And as your fingers reach, they're going to flatten a little bit.
They're not as curved as you would have them for scales. See for scales your fingers can be nice
and curved. As you do arpeggios, they're going to reach and flatten a little bit.
So 1 2 3 1 2 3 5, 3 2 1 3 2 1
Now you try. Pause the video and try right hand alone two octaves, then press play to go on.
Now let's try the left hand. So the fingering for your left hand arpeggio is 5 4 2 1 4 2 1, 2 4 1 2 4 1.
Sorry, 2 4 5. That's my finger 5. I know what I'm talking about, right?
Now, it's the same fingers going up as going down. Pause the video and work on your left hand arpeggio in A minor, then press play to go on.
Okay, now let's go on and check out the D natural and harmonic minor scales.
So remember now, we're in D minor which is one flat, which is B-flat. Same fingering though.
Group of four, group of three, group of four, group of three.
That's the right hand. The left hand is group of four, group of three, group of four, group of three.
Pause the video and work on right hand, then left hand for D natural minor, then press play to go on.
Now, we're going to try D harmonic minor next, and let's see if you can show me
which note I should raise a half step to make it harmonic minor. Here's my natural minor scale.
Of these notes, point to which key I should raise a half step to make it harmonic minor.
If you're pointing right here, you're correct. We have to take the seventh note. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven.
Or you could have just thought well, I know this is the eighth note because it's an octave, and just go down one and raise that.
That C becomes C-sharp for D for harmonic minor.
So we have those two black keys in a row now. B-flat to C-sharp.
And one interesting rule of
harmonic minor scales, is we put the B-flat in the key signature, but we don't put the C-sharp in the key signature.
If you were to see this scale written out, it would look like this.
You'd see that B-flat in the key signature, and the C-sharp would be added into the flow of the notes. That's just traditionally
how we do it in music. No great reason for that.
Left hand fingering will also be your basic fingering. Group of four, group of three, group of four, group of three.
Go as slow as you need to go to get those fingerings correct.
Pause to work on D harmonic minor, two octave scale right hand, left hand, then press play to go on.
Now let's try the arpeggios.
The fingering is the same as for A minor. 1 2 3 1 2 3 5, 3 2 1 3 2 1
Left hand is 5 4 2 1 4 2 1
Pause the video to try your D minor arpeggios, then press play to go on.
And now we're finally ready for G minor.
We're working up the ladder of fourths, so this time we're going to have two flats.
A B-flat and an E-flat. So you'll never play B or E. These are not diatonic to the key of G minor.
We have a B-flat and an E-flat instead. So we have a group of three, then a group of four,
then we start over. You'll notice that whenever I get to a G in my right hand, I'm playing it with my finger 1. Finger 1, group of three,
group of four, then finger 1's on G, and I basically do the same pattern again. Group of three, group of four,
and then I could bring my finger 1 under and keep going up more octaves, but since
this is where I'm stopping, I use my finger 5, then a group of four coming down, group of three,
group of four, group of three.
The left hand, 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 4 and 3.
Pause the video and try G natural minor right hand, then left hand, then press play to go on.
Now if we want to try G harmonic minor, here's the G natural minor diatonic keys.
Can you point to which one I should raise a half step to make it harmonic minor?
If you're pointing here, you're correct. This F needs to become F-sharp.
That gives us G harmonic minor. Now we have two flats plus an F-sharp in the key. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 3
4 3 2 1 3 2 1
Pause the video and try right hand alone, then left hand alone playing G harmonic minor two octave scale, then press play to go on.
And now let's try the arpeggios.
Now we have, remember the arpeggios are always built on DO ME SO
DO RE ME FA SO We have the first the third and the fifth note of the scale builds the arpeggio.
So we've got the B-flat here in the middle. G B-flat D G B-flat D, then a G on top.
Basically just outlining a i chord when we play arpeggios.
The left hand finger 5 4 2 1 4 2 12 4 1 2 4 5.
Press pause and now work on the G minor arpeggio both hands one at a time, and then press play to go on.
Now for the next couple of weeks I'd like you to work really hard on these three scales
to really master them in two octaves.
Both scales and arpeggios I meant.
And as you're working, I want you to be sure to be using a correct technique.
Make sure that your fingers have a good curved shape,
that your finger joints aren't bending backwards like this, but that they keep a good curve right down to the tip.
Also make sure that as your thumb comes under that you're not swinging your elbow, that you're doing a smooth motion all the way.
Okay, you want to kind of think of leading with the wrist and leading with your elbow, and if you turn your hand a little bit to the side
left hand turning a little bit this way, right hand turning a little bit this way, that will help your thumb come under smoothly.
For the left hand, it's the opposite. Your thumb has to come under this way so you want to kind of lead this way a little bit.
Another great thing to try with your scales is to use the metronome.
At first, just going one note per click.
Making sure you've mastered the finger shape, making sure you've mastered the fingering.
And then as you speed it up, eventually let's try two notes per click.
Like at a metronome speed of 100,
the metronome is clicking quarter notes TA TA TA, but you're going to play eighth notes. Two notes per click.
TI-TI TI-TI TI-TI TI-TI
Keep your fingers close to the keys. Here's one last tip.
See how my fingers are really high in the air?
That's doing a lot of work, and not getting much result.
For the fastest playing, if you want to be able to play really fast someday, you want to train your fingers to stay close to the keys like this.
You can play faster if there's not so much extra motion.
Okay, you want to do the smallest most efficient motions possible. So think being subtle and smooth as you play your scales.
Start slow, gradually build up speed until you can do two notes per click.
As you master scales and arpeggios like this, it will prepare you to play really advanced songs in the future.
So it's worth the practice time.
Great work reviewing three different minor scales today in two octaves.
Remember to practice only on days that you eat, and I'll see you next time!
Hey Chef, guess what I've got here.
It looks like a key.
Yes, but what key is it?
I don't know.
You're standing in that minecart, and you're wearing a miner's helmet.
Yep, you don't get it?
This is the key of A minor!
Hahaha
I get it.