​ Notes from The Music Hub September 21, 2026

The Connection Between Major and Minor Keys

Did you know that the minor scale actually comes from the major scale?

The major and minor scales became the most widely used scales starting around 1600 BCE.

Prior to that, various "modes" were used. They used to be called the "Church modes" because they were used for Gregorian chant. But they originated in Ancient Greece.

As the Renaissance came about, views on harmony changed. Without getting into the nitty-gritty, it was this change that caused the major and minor scales to become solidified as the primary foundation of Western harmony.

Major and minor scales are not completely different, although they have different sounds.

They are connected.

For example, C Major has the notes CDEFGABC.

A minor has the notes ABCDEFGA.

They are the same notes!

The only difference is that the C Major scale starts and ends on C, while the A minor scale starts and ends on A.

The same thing happens with G Major (GABCDEF#G) and E minor (EF#GABCDE.)

We call these keys relative because they share the same notes, including accidentals. the same way relatives in our society share family members.

Every major scale has a relative minor scale.

It's amazing how just shifting the notes around can cause such a big difference in the sound and mood of a piece!

Starting on a different note changes fingering, though.

And that's not the only thing you need to know about minor scales.

There are three different varieties, which I will talk about next week.

Learning scales is so valuable because they are a perfect exercise for developing finger independence, understanding key signatures, and becoming familiar with common "scale fragment" patterns that show up repeatedly in pieces of music.

It is hard to explain how valuable practicing scales is because it is an experiential knowledge. You have to try it and do it for a while to really get it.

Kind of like meditation.

In The Music Hub, I give you everything you need to help you learn and practice scales: charts, fingerings, demo videos, and an explanation of all the concepts.

Plus, if you get stuck, there's always the weekly online session open to all members to get help!

If you're ready to join The Music Hub Membership, you can click the button below:

If you're just starting out and don't need or want access to all the modules, you can get access to just the Piano Accelerator Program by clicking the button below. That page will give you all the information you need!

Simply respond to this email if you have any questions!

Happy Music Making!

Heather Niemi Savage, composer, pianist & educator

Founder of The Music Hub