Do two minor tetrachords equal a minor scale?

Question

Ok, so i'm studying staff music and theory...

C Major scale:

C D E F G A B C

C Melodic Minor Scale:

C D Eb F G A B C

C Natural Minor Scale:

C D Eb F G Ab Bb C

C Harmonic Minor Scale:

C D Eb F G Ab B C

the question...

C ???? ???? scale:

C D Eb F G A Bb C

does this scale have a name? is it just C Minor Scale?

Answer 1

C minor scale

Answer 2

The "C minor scale" is a generic term used to refer to the natural minor scale, so no, it is not a minor scale.  

The "scale" in question is actually the Dorian mode.

Answer 3

Yes it does, and no it isn't just C minor scale. It's a C dorian minor (as opposed to just C minor, also known as: C natural minor, C aeolian, C aeolian minor etc.)

I think you could do with a little introduction into the modes. Mode is a modification of major scale (or some other scale like melodic minor, harmonic minor) thus using the tones of that particular scale but starting (and ending) on a different tone/degree of that scale.

OK now let's look on the modes of C major (as known as C ionian). There are seven modes of that scale:

1, ionian/major scale - CDEFGABC

2, dorian/funky mode - DEFGABCD

3, phrygian/spanish mode - EFGABCDE

4, lydian/dreamy mode - FGABCDEF

5, mixolydian/blues mode - GABCDEFG

6, aeolian/natural minor - ABCDEFGA

7, locrian mode - BCDEFGAB (rarely used one)

There are three major modes, three minor modes and one diminished - locrian. The major are ionian, lydian and mixolydian since they contain the major third interval. The minor are dorian, phrygian and aeolian since they contain the minor third interval. Locrian is diminished because it contains the minor third and diminished fifth.

More about theory and modes here:

http://www.smu.edu/totw/toc.htm

Answer 4

Yeah its called C dorian. Like the second guy explained, its built off the Bb major scale starting on the second note. so instead of Bb C D Eb F G A....its C D Eb F G A Bb.

Answer 5

DONT LISTEN TO THE GUY WHO CALLED IS C MINOR. He obviously has no idea about music theory.

So it does look like a Cminor scale. But in music, mostly in jazz, we have scales called modes. There are 7 modes. To save time I'm going to tell you one mode: Dorian mode. aka dorian, dorian scale. Dorian mode is the second mode of a scale. It is built off the second note of a major scale for example:

C major is

CDEFGABC

D dorian is (same key as C major just starting on D)

DEFGABCD

You can identify a dorian scale by simply looking at it. It has a minor 3rd and a minor 7th and speaking in Wholes and Half steps follow this: W-H-W-W-W-H

The scale

C D Eb F G A Bb C

is C dorian, which is built off the Bb major scale.

Dorian mode sounds minor, and is played over the minor chord. For example if C minor was the chord, you could solo over the C minor chord with the C dorian scale. It's jazzy.