Inside This Unit: The Full Breakdown
Fundamentals II covers the three minor scales, relative/parallel keys, melodic motion, texture, and timbre.
Why it matters
Minor-key fluency and texture identification are frequently tested.
Key concepts
- Natural, harmonic, and melodic minor differ in degrees 6 and 7.
- Relative keys share a signature; parallel keys share a tonic.
- Texture: monophonic, homophonic, polyphonic.
Minor Scales and Texture
Build natural minor from the relative major, raise 7 for harmonic minor, and raise 6 and 7 ascending for melodic minor. Distinguish relative (shared signature) from parallel (shared tonic) keys, and classify texture by how many independent lines sound.
AP exam tip
When a question gives a minor key, decide which minor form applies from the accidentals present (raised 7 → harmonic).
Connections to other units
- Unit 1: Minor keys relate to major via the circle of fifths.
- Unit 4: Minor-key harmony uses these scales.
