Lesson-31 : Minor Changes - Nothing Minor About that !

Hi All,

We were so involved in our discussions of Major Scales so far, so that, if I once again say that the pattern of Major Scale is

( Whole + Whole + Semi ) + Whole + (Whole + Whole + Semi )

you will be irritated a little bit…! ?

Anyway, that’s a good sign…..indicating that…. your brain has registered the Major Scale strongly in your mind !

What about some other pattern…?

OK.. …WCM has another pattern to entertain you…! Sorry….its make you mooooody……!
Anyway let us see what is that so called "other" pattern !

One more time let us recall the C-Major…..Its all white keys of the keyboard …isn’t it ?

You may recall all those IR song examples I gave you for the Major scales…explaining the jolly mood of Major Scale.

Now I am going to suggest one small modification of using a black note in the C-Major…that is instead of the third white key “E”, use E-Flat .

(you will not call that black key as D-Sharp now…because…you know the reason…and I know you are already wiser now to call that as E-Flat only…..!)
Certainly we have upset the Major pattern……! Aren’t we…!

What is the new pattern now?

C-D- E(b) -F-G-A-B-C
Absolutely it cannot be a Major Scale…. Do you agree that….?

If you want to feel that change, try to play the normal C-Major Scale first slowly.. and then try to play this new scale….! Slowly and repeatedly………..!

You will find a hell lot of difference in quality of the scale…!

Major has lost its jovial nature…! Now become suddenly moody…just the change from E to E-flat makes that….!

Some examples of IR song that can follow this new pattern…are :

“Dhoorathil Naan kanda “ (Nizhalgal)…
” Pon Vaanam Panner Thoovudhu..” (Indru Nee Naalai Naan)
“Adhikaalai Nilave..” (Urudhi Mozhi…)
“Solai Poovil “ (Vellai Roja..)
“Muthamizh Kaviye Varuga…” (Dharmathin Thalaivan)
Our Carnatic friends would have identified this new pattern as “Gowri Manohari “ Raagam!

Anyway, our journey has not ended. We have entered …only entered..the MINOR Zone…!

To authentically finish off our change process, we have to do one more change…!

Let us effect that change..!

Again change another white note "A" to "A-flat"….!

Now this change makes it further deadlier pathetic and heavily moody..!

You will recognize that, if you play this sequence,

C-D- E(b) -F-G- A(b) -B-C
(back and forth..any combination of these notes…on and on and on…)

and correlate with the following IR songs :

“Kaatre..Endhan Geetham…” (Johnny)
“Nee dhaana Nee dhana..Nenje Nee dhaana (Thaalatu Paada Vaa)
“Keeravaaani..” (Paadum Paravaigal.) (Anveshana…)
“Malargalile….. Aaraadhanai…..” (Karumbu Vil)
“Thanga Changili…” (Thooral Ninnu Pochu..)
“Nandhavana Kuyile..” (Ponnu Veetukkaaran)
“Aayiram Kodi…” (Kariasa kaattu Poove..)
“Pen Poove…. Pen Poove….”
“Thedum Dheivam Neril Vandhadhu…” (Kazhugu)
“Deiveega Raagam…Thevittaadha Paadal...” (Ullaasa Paravaigal..)

You can automatically feel the heaviness of this pattern which makes a deep impact inside you…!

I can bet that, whatever may be the lyrics and situations, if you hear these tunes alone also..….these will make you internally cry….!

An instant melancholic situation simulator !

Anyway, that’s what the so called Minor Scale is all about

(just namesake that’s minor, but impact wise well above major).

(Our Carnatic friends can recognize this as Keeravaani Raagam)

Try this pattern on key board and feel that…
Play alternatively with C-Major and this C-Minor….
and involve yourself in the visual and hearing impact it makes on you…
I want you to drown in this Minor ocean…!

Listen to those songs also….!

(Those who can afford and have some taste for Hindusthaani Music, please try and get Pandit Shiv kumar Sharma’s CD of Santoor recital in Raag Keeravani.. and listen it…..! )

I will leave you in this deeeeeepppp meditative moooood…..!

Till such time I again catch you ….!

Announcement for Further Lessons !

Please Click the following Link for Further Lessons

CSR-WCM LESSONS - VOL - 2

For ease of handling, further Lessons are published in the blog

http://csr-wcmlessons-2.blogspot.com/

Regards

CSRamasami

Lesson-32 :Harmonic Minor Scale - Part-1 - Establishing the Pattern !

From Mood to Maths...!

As usual its time to analyse and understand the Minor Scale deeper. !

Now, having gone through the course of “Major Scales” analysis, its easy for me to repeat those analysis for the Minor scales also, in the similar manner.

If you remember, in case of Major scales, we went through the following steps:

a) Establishing the Pattern of adjacent notes (in terms of Tone and Semi tones)
b) Scrutinising the intervals with reference to Tonic and other notes
c) Various Major scales in terms of Sharps
d) Various Major Scales in terms of Flats

The same lessons we have to repeat for Minor Scales also.

Before further proceeding, I want you to recall, that while formulating the Minor Scale from the established Major Scale, we effected two changes viz.

1) Reduction of Third Note of the scale by a Semi tone
2) Reduction of Sixth note of the scale by a Semi tone

Keeping this in mind, we can easily recognize the change of pattern from the standard Major scale.

Due to the 3rd note reduction the first half pattern of Major scale

(Whole + Whole + Semi )

now changes to

(Whole + Semi + Whole)
Due to the 6th note reduction, Second half pattern of Major scale

(Whole + Whole + Semi)

now changes to

(Semi + Whole & Half + Semi)

I hope there is no confusion about that ! You can visually check it with the keyboard in case of doubts !

So the minor scale which we established in the last discussion will have the following pattern :

( Whole + Semi + Whole ) + Whole + ( Semi + One&Half + Semi)
As a cross check, if you count the total of a scale we shall get Six tones ( 12 keys x Semi = 6 ) a fact we established in our earlier understanding

So this is the pattern of Minor scale. This minor scale is called “Harmonic Minor"
( At this junction I would like to confirm your likely query that ……is there any other minor scale ? …

Yes.. one other variation of minor scale called “Melodic Minor” scale is there.

We will discuss about that much much later…..!

Hereafter, when we say minor scale it means Harmonic Minor with the above pattern…. Unless it is specifically told about the Melodic Minor…)
So we have established the Pattern of Harmonic Minor scale…!

It is needless to say that, if we could follow this pattern from any key, the scale must be Harmonic Minor….!
So first part of our analysis is over…simple and fast…..!

Lesson-33 :Harmonic Minor Scale - Part-2 : Establishing the INTERVALS !

Just now, we have established the Pattern of the Harmonic Minor Scale.

Coming to our next stage analysis we are going to establish the Intervals w.r.t. Tonic.

Let me re-emphasize our earlier learning that , irrespective of any scale, the name of the each note from 1 to 7, it is called, Tonic, Super tonic, Mediant, Sub-Dominant, Dominant, Sub-Mediant & Leading note !

( and of course Octave, the repeated tonic note… to complete the scale..)

Also you remember that the intervals w.r.t. Tonic to other notes of a Major scale are

“ Everything is Major interval except the 4th and 5th which are Perfect interval"
Again recall, while converting Major to Minor, we effected changes in 3rd and 6th note by way of reduction of semitone….!

So the changes in case of intervals also shall be for the 3rd and 6th only which now changes from Major to Minor intervals ….thats all…..!

All other remain the same….!

By consolidating in our usual way, we get the following :



The above also clearly indicates our earlier understanding that, Major Scale can have minor intervals and a Minor scale can have Major intervals….!

For all other intervals between any note to any note in a Harmonic Minor scale, I am leaving that exercise to you to check for yourself, using our Standard Intervals Table given earlier….!

These Minor 3rd and Minor 6th intervals are the crucial one which makes the difference between the Major Scale and Minor Scale…!

So try that on key board repeatedly and feel it and register that in the mind strongly…!

So second part of analysis is also over for the Harmonic Minor Scale..

What next…? Listing of Harmonic Minor scales with Sharps and Flats…..!

Before jumping into that analysis, one question I want to pose to all of you…!

In case of Major scale, we started with a all pure white keys major scale viz.. C-Major…!

And then started traveling Perfect 5th upward for sharp and Perfect 5th downward for flats…!

To repeat that, in case of Minor scale also, “Can we get any Pure All White Minor scale to start with ?

Try and answer ! (I need not remind you that we should preserve the Pattern of Minor scale discussed above, when you try from each white key…! )

We will see the answer in next Lesson!

Lesson-34 - Harmonic Minor - Some Minor Complications & Resolving !

Hi All,

Warning ! Take a deep breath (and time !) for this lengthy discussion…! This demands your absolute concentration !

To start with, let me repeat the pattern of Harmonic Minor once again :

( Whole + Semi + Whole ) + Whole + ( Semi + One & Half + Semi)

Using the above pattern, Can we get a Harmonic Minor scale with all Pure White Notes (as in the case of C-Major) ?

The answer is NO !

One case nearest to this level is the Harmonic Minor Scale starting with the note "A", which will be like this :

A – B – C – D – E – F – G# - A

Here also, it has one note as sharp.

Let us see one another case of case of D-Harmonic Minor,

Here it is getting complicated !

We are getting the one flat note as well as the sharp in the same scale, (based on the strict rule of selecting “One note only once” for the scale formation ) !

D – E – F – G – A - B(b) – C# -D

Which is peculiar, because so far, in case of Major scale, it is either sharp everywhere or flats everywhere. At no instance, we used both !
So what will happen ?

In case of Harmonic Minor, could we not get , (as we used to get in Major scale), any equivalent easy method to get step-by-step increase of either Sharps or Flats?

Also How to avoid the complicated flats and sharp combination of representation within the same scale?

Don’t get dis-heartened ! There is a way !

A slight compromise is required for the sake of simplicity !

Let us make some small adjustment of representation of note ! Then everything will fall in line automatically !............How ?

Let us get back to the A-Harmonic Scale which we just saw!

The actual notes of A-Harmonic minor to preserve the pattern of minor scale, are like this :

A – B – C – D – E – F – G# - A
So if we take A– Harmonic Minor and temporarily forget about the sharp of G, which is its leading note, and write this as follows:

A – B – C – D – E – F – G - A ( G is to be sharped later )

Now, we can say, this is like the pure white keys equivalent of C-Major…..?

Do you agree ?

So there lies the solution…!


Step-1 :
Represent the harmonic Minor scale omitting the sharp of Leading note (so that it can be equated mentally to particular Major scale in terms of number of sharps or flats )
Step-2 :
and then add back the sharp on the leading note separately, later.
You wont believe….! This also incidentally solves our problem of complex representation of using both sharp and flats in the same scale !

Otherwise please be assured that we are not changing the pattern of Harmonic Minor scale at all in the final outcome !

We exactly follow that pattern, but only representing in different way..!

Lesson-35- Harmonic Minor - Concept of Equating With Major Scale !

Our next endeavour is to get into the details of Scales of Harmonic Minor with sharps ! Before that, one approach we shall undertsand to make the matter simple.

Since we know better about the Major Scale, if we could correlate a Harmonic Minor with a corresponding Major scale, then we can blindly follow the relationships for establishing all the Harmonic Minor scales with Sharps (as well as Flats), through some Major scales whioch we already know!

Let us start from A-Harmonic Minor !

Actually A-Harmonic Minor is A – B – C – D – E – F – G# - A
But we will represent this way :

A – B – C – D – E – F – G - A ( but G is Sharped separately )

So now it can be visualized as equivalent to C-Major (with no sharp).

What does this mean while notes writing on stave ?

Thus, A-Harmonic minor will not have any sharps or flats in the Key Signature (just like C Major), but wherever the note G is written (the leading Note of A-Minor), sharp symbol is put in front of the note G every time, separately.

Then for the Next minor scale, as usual, as in the case of Major scale, Go upward by perfect 5th of Tonic of previous minor scale, which leads us to E-Harmonic Minor.

Actually E-Harmonic Minor is E – F# – G - A – B – C – D# – E

But we will represent this way :

E – F# – G - A – B – C – D – E ( but D is sharped separately) .

So, now this can be equated to G-Major which has only one sharp ie F-sharp.

Now, You will realize the advantage of our method of omitting the sharp of leading note and representing them later separately in the case of a Harmonic Minor scale!

What does this mean while notes writing on stave ?

Thus, E-Harmonic minor will have only ONE sharp in the Key Signature (just like G Major), ie F-Sharp, but wherever the note D is written (the leading Note of E-Minor), a sharp is put in front of the note D every time, separately.

Another matter for you to observe is the relationship between the Major scale selected for comparison in terms of sharps and the equivalent minor scale as explained above.
For example, C-Major has no sharps or flats. Similarly, with our above understanding of omitting the sharp of leading note initially, the equivalent Harmonic Minor scale is A-Harmonic Minor.

The relationship between C and A in terms of its interval is that, A-Minor is a Minor Third below C-Major!

Similarly, in the case of the ONE sharp equivalents G-Major and E-Minor, the relationship between G and E in terms of its interval is that E is a Minor Third below G

So we can conclude that Every Major Scale is having an Equivalent Minor Scale, if we select the note a Minor Third below.

Again remember, when we say equivalent, it is just the number of sharps (or flats) in both the scale (as will be represented in the key signature or otherwise), that also forgetting conveniently the sharp of Leading note…..!

For all other purposes, the pattern of Major and Minor scales and their quality of sound and music coming out are entirely different as you already know !

So let us define this Harmonic Minor Scale representation rule while writing on score sheet like this :

1. In the key signature, represent the sharps (or flats as the case may be) of equivalent Major Scale (which is separated by a minor third interval)

2. Then wherever the leading note of the scale is coming, sharpen (raise) the note by proper accidentals (sharps, double sharps, flats, natural symbol etc.) .
If the above rules understood, all our analytical method of forming and writing scales in terms of sharps and flats for Minor scales will be exactly replicated as in the case of Major scales.

So, as in the case of major Scales, all our understandings on Perfect 5th approach, our standard sentences for sharps & flats (Father Charles Goes Down……) etc etc…, for the sequence of notes sharpened or flattened etc. are absolutely valid and make our life easier….! Is that OK….?

Tell me…Is this a process of Simplification or Confusion…?

Initially it may look both way to you…!....... but you will appreciate this method with some deep thinking and homework…!

We will see all minor scale with sharps and flats one by one in our next discussion which will clarify all the above points.

Till Then, have a deep & thorough self-analysis and validation of above understandings !

Lesson-36 : Harmonic Minor - Sharp List

Let me repeat the two harmonic minors discussed last time viz A & E Harmonic Minors.

A – B – C – D – E – F – G - A ( but G is Sharped separately ) – All White notes equivalent.

E – F# – G - A – B – C – D – E ( but D is sharped separately) – Single sharp equivalent.

As we know, E-Minor was arrived at by going Perfect 5th upward from the starting A-Minor.

In the same way, if we proceed with the balance keys also, as we used to do for Major Scale, ie going upward in terms of Perfect 5th every time from the previous scale tonic,

we get the following complete table of Harmonic minor scales of

B-minor (2-sharps)
F# minor (3-sharps)
C# minor (4-sharps)
G# minor (5-sharps)
D# minor (6-sharps) and finally
A# minor (7-sharps)

in that sequential order.

Also, we know that, the leading note shall be separately sharped.

If the leading note happens to be a sharp note already, then it becomes double sharp !




[Double sharp is usually written using a x-mark (cross mark), before the notes].

This double sharp business is little but confusing in the beginning, but you can understand easily with key board in front of you, and try to locate the exact key and everything looks very logical.

For example,

F-Double sharp is equivalent to G, and
C-Double Sharp is nothing but D, and finally
G-Double Sharp is again nothing but A !

So that’s simple !

So, in case of Minor scales, we are now having the method similar to Major scale; similar in approach as well as the number and sequence of sharps etc.

Making our life a lot easier!

Only additional thing to remember is to Put a sharp before the leading note every time without forgetting!

That’s a relatively smaller simpler additional effort compared to our simplified learning…Isn’t it !

Our same old sentence of “Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle” helps us in identifying the sequence of sharp notes getting added each time.

Another important observation is :

If we compare the Major & Minor scales equivalent (in terms of sharps) for each of these scales, we get the confirmation that they are separated by the interval of Minor 3rd !

Refer the following equivalent table :



You can check yourself the interval between these two equivalent scales w.r.t. their Tonic,

C to A,
G to E,
D to B, etc. etc…..,

and understand that they are separated by the interval of Minor 3rd.

So, through our understanding of Major scales, we can learn the Harmonic Minor Scales easily.

Similar to the above scales of sharps, we can easily analyse and learn the scales of flats also.

In our next lesson!

Lesson-37 : Harmonic Minor - Flat List

By this time, you are familiar with the Harmonic Minor Scales and similarity with the Major Scales.

Such a kind of similarity we have already seen regarding Harmonic Minor Scales w.r.t. Sharps. (Of course, some slight adjustment about the additional sharping the leading note is already clear in your mind).

If so, you can easily guess the sequence of Harmonic minor scales with Flats also.

The steps are just repeated to recall the procedures :

• Start with the A-Harmonic minor
• Proceed in terms of Perfect 5th downward each time from the previous minor scale.(or perfect 4th upward)
• Omitting the sharp required in the Leading note (7th note) , we can see the addition of flats each time which is similar to major scales in the same sequence and in numbers
• We can represent these flats in the key signatures in the same way that of Flat Majors, but in addition to that, the leading note is sharped (raised) every time separately in front of the note in stave wherever it occurs.
• Also, we can establish the equivalent Major and Minor scale relationships, in terms of the key signatures, which is separated by an interval of Minor Third. Thereby proving again that, for any Harmonic Minor Scale, there is an equivalent Major Scale (in terms of number and sequence of flats/sharps) whose tonic is a minor Third above the tonic of minor scale.
• Remember and be careful, using the proper accidental before the leading note every time.

With the above, our Harmonic Minor Scales sequence with flats are as follows :
[you can also check each scale with the standard pattern required for the Harmonic Minor Scale which is (Whole+Semi+Whole)+Whole+(Semi+One&Half+Semi) ]




Our standard sentence for flats sequence (reverse sentence of sharps),
“Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles Father” holds good.

Hope, now you can realise that, the system of forgetting the leading note first, helps us in getting a uniform system, similar to major scale approach and then adding back the effect of leading note separately, which is the simple task.

Caution :
While writing the notes in score sheet for Harmonic Minor, Please remember these:
· When you are using key signatures all the flats are taken into it and only the sharp or natural symbols are added in front of the leading note.
· If you are not using the key signatures, then all the notes shall be added with corresponding flats or sharps, but there is no need to add separate natural symbol for a leading note which is raised to normalcy (from presumed flatness).
That is to say, write a normal note as normal note only, and no need to add a flat and sharp symbol simultaneously in front of the leading note !
As done before for sharps, if we compare the Major & Minor scales equivalent in terms of flats for each of these scales, we get the confirmation that the tonics of each are separated by the interval of Minor 3rd !




Remembering these equivalence tables will help in undertsanding the Modualtion aspects later.

Yes….where have we reached now…?

15 Major scales and 15 Harmonic Minor scales….
We have travelled a long …long….way….!

Try to consolidate that ! In your mind and in your feeling !

Lesson-38 : Harmonic Minor - Consolidation of Understandings!

Harmonic Minor Scales:

Consolidation of our “Minor” understandings are as follows :

US – 1
The pattern of Harmonic Minor Scale is arrived at by effecting two changes from the Major scale pattern :

Reduction of Third Note of the scale by a Semi tone
Reduction of Sixth note of the scale by a Semi tone

Thus the resulting pattern is

( Whole + Semi + Whole ) + Whole + ( Semi + One & Half + Semi)
US – 2
The interval between each of the notes and the Tonic of the Harmonic Minor Scale is as follows:



When compared with Major scale, the Minor 3rd and Minor 6th intervals of Minor scale are the crucial one which makes the difference between the Major Scale and Minor Scale…!

US – 3
In order to arrive at a Common method between the Major and Minor scales, for finding the sequence and number of sharps and flats in progression, following method is adopted for the Minor scale:

· Represent the harmonic Minor scale omitting the sharp of Leading note

· (so that it can be equated mentally to particular Major scale in terms of number of sharps or flats )

· and then add back the sharp on the leading note separately, later.

US – 4
Considering the number of sharps (or flats) and their sequence of appearance, Every Major Scale is having an Equivalent Minor Scale, if we select the note a Minor Third below the Tonic of Major scale and make this as the Tonic of Minor scale. ( forgetting conveniently the sharp of Leading note of Minor scale

US – 5
Considering the Sharps sequence, the following are equivalent Major and Harmonic Minor scales (Tonics of which are separated by Minor Third)





US – 6

Considering the Flats sequence, the following are equivalent Major and Harmonic Minor scales (Tonics of which are separated by Minor Third)



Only additional thing to remember is to put a Sharp (or such accidental to raise the note) before the leading note of the Harmonic Minor scale every time without forgetting!


US – Key Signatures:
Key Signature is the Cluster of symbols of flats or sharps that are used in a specific scale under consideration. Such key signatures are written in the Stave in the beginning (after Clef symbol) once in each of the beginning of the line.

The Sharps or Flats as the case may be are written in a specifc sequence in the specific lines or spaces identified for this purpose.

By seeing the key signature location and noting the number of flats or sharps, one can easily say What the Scale of the song is….!

if any other notes, other than the above notes to be sharpened or flattened, these shall be written in front of the concerned notes separately wherever they occur.

Caution :

While writing the notes in score sheet, Please remember this,

· When you are using key signatures all the Sharps/ flats are taken into the key signatures, and only the sharp or natural symbols are added in front of the leading note.

· If you are not using the key signatures, then all the necessary notes shall be added with corresponding flats or sharps individually each time wherever it occurs; but there is no need to add separate natural symbol for a leading note which is raised to normalcy (from presumed flatness).

(That is to say, write a normal note as normal note only, and no need to add a flat and sharp symbol simultaneously in front of the leading note ! )

Lesson-39 : Melodic Minor - A Variation of Minor Scales !

So far, We have seen the Harmonic Minor Pattern as :

( Whole + Semi + Whole) + Whole+ ( Semi + One & Half + Semi)

However, one another variation of this Harmonic minor scale is also practised by WCM.

This one is called the "Melodic Minor Scale"

Basically this differs in the second bracketed portion of the pattern (ie Semi + One & half + Semi ), while the first half remains the same as harmonic minor.
If you observe the Harmonic minor pattern, there is a jump of One & half tone between the 6th & 7th.

This jump is felt as a difficulty while singing by the westerners.

So they wanted to smoothen out this jump by raising/flattening the 6th & 7th suitably.

This resulted in the Melodic Minor Scale pattern, which has different ascending and descending.

(In Carnatic this is explained as different Aarohanam & Avarohanam )

What is required to be done is :

Assuming the Harmonic Minor pattern as basic,

While ascending, ( ie playing the notes one by one up from Tonic to Octave ) Raise the 6th note by a semi tone.

So the second half pattern changes to :

(Whole + Whole + Semi) …….(this is same as Major second half…as you know already…)

But while descending, ( ie playing the notes one by one up from Octave to Tonic backwards ), Reduce the 7th and 6th note by a semi tone from that of ascending one just used.

So the second half pattern changes to :

(Semi + Whole + Whole)
So, putting the complete patterns together, the Melodic Minor is like this :

Ascending : ( Whole + Semi + Whole) + Whole+ ( Whole + Whole + Semi )
Descending : ( Whole + Whole + Semi )+ Whole+ ( Whole + Semi + Whole)
If you select “A” as Tonic for the Melodic Minor , then

Ascending : A – B – C – D – E – F# – G# – A
Descending : A – G – F – E – D – C – B – A
Carnatic experts can recognize this as Gowri Manohari ascending and Nata Bairavi Descending.

If they feel and visualize this Nishadam and Dhaivadham variations, they can easily recognize and understand why N2, N3 & D2, D3 usages are regularly made by IR in such minor based songs.

What you feel as mixing of swarams or raagams of Keervani, Nata Bairavi, Gowri manohari etc. In reality this is nothing but the melodic minor scale usage by IR.

So naming of Carnatic scale is a tricky issue for such songs ! My advice is better to call it as Minor Scale and leave it !

So we are having one another variation of Harmonic minor, and here also all the Sharps and Flats scales of Melodic Minor is possible for each one of the Harmonic Minor scale, and this will lead to another 15 scales of WCM.

I will leave that exercise to you for checking and forming the 15 Melodic Minor Scales.

Lesson-40 : Major to Minor Modulations - Basic Tool of IR !

One noteworthy point of IR music is here : That’s Modulation !

We had a brief introduction about modulation earlier.

Modulation means changing from one scale to another with minimum effort ie with minimum change of note ! usually just one note change !

Can you realize now that , If you are in C-Major, you can easily go to its minor equivalent A-harmonic minor, with just one change of note that is changing G to G-sharp !

Please thoroughly check your understanding of this point here !

Only thing you should additionally watch and remember is your tonic has come down by a Minor Third now ! which means calling each of the old notes in different new name in terms of tonic, super-tonic etc! That’s all.

Same way from a minor scale you can travel to its major scale equivalent, just by dropping that one additional sharp and shifting the Tonic to Minor 3rd upward…!

Do you agree….?

IR effortlessly handles such modulations in most of his songs !

One such example is “ Putham Pudhu Kaaalai…” which starts in one particular Minor in Pallavi, then it changes to equivalent Major scale in the charanam when its starts “Vaanil Thondrum…” ! When the charanam ends in the last two lines or so, it again travels back to the old minor to catch up with the minor Pallavi again….!

“Ilangathu Veesudhe” of Pithamagan also is of that category. Minor Pallavi and Major Charanam .

Examples like this are many……….!

If you could appreciate this modulation, I believe I have achieved something of my efforts in reaching the WCM to you ! Give me that hope !

Again, Out of the Minor Group of songs of IR, most of them are Melodic Minor Type.

May be its flexibility of changing in 6th and 7th, gives a slightly better feeling when compared to very serious nature of harmonic minor.

Utmost 80% of the theme music of IR re-recording will be in minor scale!

It can cover all types of feelings suitable to any situation. Tender, soft, romantic, light nature etc to heavy , melancholic and serious nature …. All type of effects are provided by these minor scales and as such has found extensive place in the IR’s music repertoire.

(Truth may be the other way round also….because of IR it might have got so much versatility….!)

Who can forget the theme music of 16 Vayadhinile, Kizhakke Pogum Rail, Mouna Raagam, Chinna Veedu, Kallukkul Eeram, Mudhal Mariyadhai, Nayakan, etc etc…

The list is endless…! You name the film, you can have the minor scale theme/ re-recording in it !

Most of the other songs of IR in Carnatic raagaas also can be represented notation wise through Minor Scales.

I feel at this stage, I may have to do a brief comparisons/ clarifications of Pattern Formations in both Carnatic Vs WCM, for better understanding of each of their basics and inherent strengths.

The people who knows the Carnatic, can get a comparative feeling by such exercise.

For the ones who don't know Carnatic scheme but have reasonably understood the present WCM scheme, they can get a glimpse of the Carnatic scheme basics also through such WCM comaprisons !

That we will see in our next session…!