Major and minor

This melody is in a minor scale. Play it, then switch it to major and back while it loops.

The minor scale lowers three notes of the major scale: the 3rd, 6th and 7th (marked ♭3, ♭6 and ♭7). The rows stay where they are; only those notes move down a half step.

Listeners often describe major as bright and minor as darker or more serious. That is a habit of how we hear music, not a rule: plenty of dance hits are minor, and plenty of sad songs are major.

Your turn

Write a melody of your own and flip it between major and minor. Which version do you like better?