Who this is for
Learners who can spell a major scale and know the circle of fifths (at least the relative minors). Already fluent in minor? Test out on Day 6.
Best done after: Steps & the Major Scale, Circle of Fifths. It is advice, not a rule: every lesson has short "rusty on…?" boxes for anything you skipped.
Why learn this
Minor keys sound darker and more emotional, and a huge share of music lives in them. But minor is not a single scale: there are three versions, and knowing why each exists makes minor chords and melodies make sense.
This program builds minor from what you already know. Natural minor is the major scale started on its sixth note; harmonic and melodic minor each change one or two notes for a good musical reason.
What you will be able to do
- The natural minor pattern and how it differs from major
- The relative minor and parallel minor
- Minor key signatures
- Harmonic minor: the raised 7th
- Melodic minor: the raised 6th and 7th going up
The 6-day plan
- Natural minor. Spell the natural minor scale.
- Relative minors. Find the relative minor of any major key, and back.
- Minor key signatures. Name the sharps or flats of any minor key.
- Harmonic minor. Spell harmonic minor and say why it exists.
- Melodic minor. Spell melodic minor and know when it is used.
- Test day. Prove you can spell any minor scale and find any relative key.
How each session works
Every day follows the shape of a workout. It starts with a warm-up that reviews earlier days, then technique: a short, plain explanation with a small interactive tool to try it on. Then come the working sets, drills with instant feedback, and a finisher, a short test with a pass mark so you only build on things you can do. A cool-down recaps the day and previews the next.
Choose your split
The daily split is a session a day: done in a week. The easy split is a session every other day, with rest days between: two weeks, and a gentler pace. On your own pace there is no schedule. Nothing is ever locked, and you can change split at any time.
What comes next
The Modes: The 7-Day Program or Secondary Dominants and Borrowed Chords: The 7-Day Program. See the whole training plan.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between major and minor?
The third degree. A major scale has a major third above the tonic; a minor scale has a minor third. The sixth and seventh are also lowered in natural minor, which makes it darker.
What is a relative minor?
The minor key that shares a key signature with a major key. A minor is the relative minor of C major. It starts on the 6th note of the major scale.
Why are there three minor scales?
Natural minor has no strong pull to the tonic. Harmonic minor raises the 7th to create one. Melodic minor also raises the 6th, to avoid an awkward gap, and is often played back to natural minor going down.
What if I haven't learned the circle of fifths?
Use the refresher boxes. You mostly need the idea that every major key has a relative minor. The circle program covers it in detail.