Minor scales are mysterious and beautiful, but they can be a headache to play if you’re fuzzy on the details. Get crystal-clear on minor scale concepts in this lesson with Benjamin Laude, Head of Piano at tonebase. He reveals the simple logic behind minor scales, showing how to find the relative minor of any major key, when to use natural, harmonic, and melodic forms of minor, and a nuanced discussion of using the thumb mainly on white keys.

Notably, Laude’s lesson always highlights the historical and theoretical basis for each observation: from the history of thumb use in piano playing, to the construction of minor scales, to the various most-well known and remarkable piano works in each minor key. You’re sure to come away from this lesson a more informed and holistic musician.

Want to play smoother and more expressive scales? Join tonebase Head of Piano Benjamin Laude as he lays out the traditional scale fingerings for major keys, showing what relates them to one another — both physically, mentally, and aurally. By understanding scales and scale fingerings in these three dimensions, you’ll be a more mindful and capable pianist.

Ever wonder what makes a scale, a scale? Join tonebase’s very own Head of Piano, Benjamin Laude, for an illuminating look at the circle of fifths and its power to reveal the hidden connections between every scale. By the end of the lesson, you’ll know how to build a major scale on any note, how to clearly hear the interval pattern that unifies all major scales, and how to apply your new scale knowledge to make your playing more fluent and sensitive — your mind, ear, and hands all working together in harmony!