In the solfege chapter, you learned about the syllables that make up the major scale:
 

Another way of thinking about the major scale is that it is made up of a series of whole and half steps:
 

 
Whether you like to think of it in terms of solfege or whole and half steps, the patern that makes up a major scale is always the same, regardless of what key you are in.
 
You might recall learning about the major keys and the circle of fifths in the Key Signatures chapter. Every major key has its own relative minor key. The two keys are relative because they share the same key signature.  Every minor key is a minor third below its relative major key. To illustrate this point, here is the complete circle of fifths with both major and minor keys:
 
 

To sing a minor scale, you would start on La, like this:
 

 

The whole and half step pattern comprising a minor scale looks like this:
 
 
 
There are actually three different types of minor scales: natural, harmonic, and melodic. The minor scale you see above is also known as the natural minor. It’s called the natural minor because it fits naturally into the key without any accidentals.

One variant is the harmonic minor. In this scale, the seventh scale degree (Sol) is raised by a half step. (The solfege syllable for this raised seventh is “Si.”)
 

 
 
Another variant is the melodic minor. The melodic minor has a very unique sound: on your way up the scale, you would raise the sixth and seventh degrees. (Fa and Sol become Fi and Si.) On your way back down the scale, the two scale degrees return to their normal position, just like you would find them in the natural minor.