minor mode, minor scale

The Natural Minor Mode is the tritriadic scale whose Tonic, Subdominant and Dominant triads are Minor Triads (1/1 6/5 3/2) on 1/1, 4/3 and 3/2. The scale 1/1 9/8 6/5 4/3 3/2 8/5 9/5 2/1.

The C or Lydian Octave Species of the P.I.S. whose tetrachords are tuned as 10/9 x 9/8 x 16/15.

The A Mode (Hypodorian) mode of P.I.S. in 12-tone ET or one with close approximation to the Perfect Fifth, i.e., the scale 0 2 3 5 7 8 10 12/0.

There are two other common forms of the Minor Mode, the Harmonic Minor whose upper tetrachord is 3/2 8/5 15/8 2/1 and the Melodic Minor with 3/2 5/3 15/8 2/1.

See also Hungarian Minor and the Major Mode.

[from John Chalmers, Divisions of the Tetrachord]

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