Learning a New Minor Key
The process for learning a new minor key is the same as that of a major key, except that there is more than one scale involved. You will need to know the notes of the natural, harmonic and melodic minor both theoretically and on the saxophone.
Written below are the notes of these three scales in the key of D minor. Learn them from memory and then play the following example.
Once you are confident you can instantly find any note of the scale you are working on, try playing sequences with the notes of the scale, as you have already done with major scales. Work towards memorizing each new pattern and then play it with your eyes closed while visualizing the notation and naming first the notes and then the scale degrees mentally as you play.
It is also important to be able to transpose melodies in minor keys. The process is the same as for major keys – write the scale degrees under the melody notes and then work out what notes those degrees equate to in the key you want to transpose to. Shown below is an example in the key of A minor with the scale degrees written under the notes.
Here is the same example transposed to F minor. The key signature of F minor contains four flats, but the sixth and seventh degrees of the melodic minor are raised, so the notes D and E will be naturals. Remember to learn the notes of the scale first, then work out the scale degrees.
