As the natural minor is the aeolian mode of the scale, it is natural ( terrible pun) or to be expected that the harmonised tune will sound modal - because it is!
Great video. I've always been partial to D minor in all three flavors (natural, harmonic, and melodic). You ask several times (beginning at 12:48 in the video) "could I Handel using the natural minor scale...". I suppose I could Handel it, but I prefer to Bach it instead.
Music theory... I do find it interesting and I enjoy how it can illustrate whats going on - but It's no more than descriptions and semantics, right? For example, I was just thinking about these various minor scale harmonisations you've described... And I came to thinking about Noel Gallagher, who must've written a hundred songs in A minor, and which incorporate D major and minor chords, E major and minor, F major, G major... maybe even a B flat! All that melodic and harmonic minor harmonisation, perhaps some phrygian modal harmony too. However, I can't help but feel that he would'nt be the slightest bit aware or interested in these descriptions, and they wouldn't have been his inspiration - and neither would they have been for Lennon or McCartney before him. I suppose the only thing that matters is that poeple get out there and make music. Whether they unwittingly employ the locrian mode in the bridge of their pop song, or whether they don't feel something is worthy of composing unless it was made with constant reference to a theory handbook, as long as the music is made is all that matters. just some thoughts. I do like the MM videos.
Some songs mix the scales, using natural minor, only using harmonic minor over the dominant V chord. That way getting a more satisfying resolution, but without the other weird chords 😀
Thank you. Gareth for this video and for the explanation. When you harmonized the example melody using the natural minor aand the harmonic minor, the harmonic minor version sounded more old timey to me. The harmonic minor/melodic minor/different notes up and down business was never clear to me, so my inclination was always toward using the natural minor. Now I feel like you gave me permission. Thank you again!
Thank you for another excellent video. Question if I may....in the last bar would the G natural in the alto want to rise to the A also in the alto and not the soprano? (voice leading). Cheers - Mark
Hi Gareth, what is it about the minor scale?! In Irish traditional ,the dorian minor is often used. So you will find tunes written, apparently in A minor, but set in the key signature for G major! Another interesting video, Slán, Austin. 14:53
Your courses are priceless and have helped me gain an understanding of music theory which is beyond my level of keyboard skills and ear training. I had my weekly piano lesson and we discussed my project of transposing Burgmüller Opus 100, numbers 1, 2 and 4 into all the keys. Today I started on number 2, which is Arabesque and in A natural minor. For now it is quite difficult to do any transposition, but I just need to spend the time. My goal is to surprise my teacher next week. I know you did a video on transposition, and of course you impressed me immensely. I should watch that video again.
Only because our ears have learned to expect that leading semitone you can actually get used to having a resolution perfectly happily without it. Lots of folk music for instance is playing in the natural minor or the Dorian mode
@@Ana_crusis I was thinking more for modulations, but thinking about it, though I have not tried it out, the leading note might be used to modulate from A natural minor to C minor or F minor (natural after the modulation).
@@Ana_crusis A natural minor contains the notes for a 7th chord on G, which can resolve into C minor after which the B natural flattens for continuing in C (natural) minor. Moving into F minor is more speculative, but perhaps via a third inversion of a C chord to a second inversion of the F minor chord.
