Natural Minors

[frank_48]

my teacher doesnt want me learning natural minors, she says theres no point, but she didnt tell my why. ive just been learning the harmonics/melodics

any point in learning the natural minors?

[Petter]

Sounds dumb, if you learn the melodic minor you´ll learn the natural when the scale descends anyway. Maybe that´s why she thought it would be unnecessary. If she doesn´t, I don´t see why realizing that the descendant melodic minor scale is the natural minor scale would be unnecessary...

[pianowolfi]

I teach natural minor first, together with major and the circle of fifths. So there is less confusion about the key signatures of the relative keys. If you teach harmonic/melodic minor first you have always the problem with the additional sharps or natural signs.

[frank_48]

hmm, i had my lesson today and asked her about it, she said that theres no need to learn them because no-one will ever ask you to play them at exams...is that true?

[theory_guy]

hmm, i had my lesson today and asked her about it, she said that theres no need to learn them because no-one will ever ask you to play them at exams...is that true?

What? Does this mean we only study the piano to take exams? I'm sorry, but your teacher has given you a pretty bad reason. The important thing is to learn how all three versions of the minor scale work together in a musical composition.

Sigh...more and more it seems that we're training monkeys rather than musicians.

[frank_48]

What? Does this mean we only study the piano to take exams? I'm sorry, but your teacher has given you a pretty bad reason. The important thing is to learn how all three versions of the minor scale work together in a musical composition.

Sigh...more and more it seems that we're training monkeys rather than musicians.

oh dear, well thats 20 extra scales i need to add to my list, shouldnt take to long, as its only adding 1 extra note really.

think it might be time to change to a more qualified teacher..

[theory_guy]

oh dear, well thats 20 extra scales i need to add to my list, shouldnt take to long, as its only adding 1 extra note really.

think it might be time to change to a more qualified teacher..

Well it's obviously not your fault, but yes, you may want to find another teacher. That said, sometimes a teacher is great technically but not so much musically; I guess it depends on what you want. Good luck.

[ramseytheii]

We should always strive to know as much about music as possible, not just enough to get by.  I never trust those who say "you don't need it;" and I never trust those who says knowledge hurts their instincts.  That means they have weak instincts!

Walter Ramsey