e flat major vs c minor

[raintree]

Pls help me 

I've been practicing the C minor scale and have also played the E flat major scale.  Would someone pls help me understand the relationship b/w them. Thing is, I also just started playing Bach's Prelude in C minor BWV 999  - why is it in C minor instead of E flat major. Thank's for reading! 

RT

[healdie]

well C minor is the relative minor key to E flat major the 6th degree of every major scale is the relative minor i.e
C Mjaor = A Minor
D Major = B Minor
F Major = D Minor
etc
they as you will know share the same key signature but are very different in charecter

It is in C Minor rather than E flat major because the prelude basis the C Minor chord as its tonic rather than E Flat major

hope this helps a bit

[hyrst]

The note we start on makes our ears expect certain sounds.  Just one note different changes everything we expect to hear.  So, if we play CDE it is very different to CDEb.  Your piece starts on C chord, so your ears expect to hear things from this place - starting from CDEb sounds very different to EbFG.  Another very important difference between the two is the A and B naturals in ascending areas.  This is the melodic form of the scale - which is like playing the last parts of the C major sclae.  The B natural semi-tone to C tells your ears that you are heading to an important tone - which is the C.  Those naturals and that interval are not present in Eb major unless the piece modulates (changes key).  So, your ears feel like they have 'come home' once you get to C but not once you get to Eb.

[subosc]

Thanks, this helped 

[Bob]

Different tonal center.  Everything revolves around c in minor.  Around Eb in Eb Major.

[cudo]

Pls help me 

I've been practicing the C minor scale and have also played the E flat major scale.  Would someone pls help me understand the relationship b/w them. Thing is, I also just started playing Bach's Prelude in C minor BWV 999  - why is it in C minor instead of E flat major. Thank's for reading! 

RT

Hi raintree,

did you notice that only the first few bars of Bach's C minor BWV 999 is in C minor? The rest is in G minor!!!