A minor= C major ???

[robert m]

if the scale pattern 1 is exactly the same and the notes are the same for A minor as they are for C major and the key note or "root note" is the same and both keys sound the same,

why is one a minor key and one is a major key??

[Yves Cadieux]

Hi Robert!

If I may add to Delbert's answer, which is correct ( C major scale and A minor scale share the same exact seven notes ), is that the root note is not the same in the two scales. In C major, root note ( home ) is C. In A minor, root note is A. You keep that in mind while you are playing lead.

Also for rythm guitar C major chord is the home chord in the key of C while they A minor chord is the home chord in a song written in The key of A minor.

Hope it helps!

YC🎸

[Delbert Moke]

The major key is whole step whole step half step whole step whole step whole step that make the key of c  C whole step D whole step E half step F whole step G whole step A whole step B and half step back to C

Minor scale is whole step half step whole step whole step half step whole step whole step that make A minor, A whole step B half step C whole step D whole step E half step F whole step G and whole step back to A

It is the combination of whole and half step that make up the key patterns there's only a half step between B and C and a half step between E and F which causes one to be major and the other to be minor I hope that is understandable.

[tbootsc]

For any major scale, the 6th note is always the relative minor - the major and relative minor scales will share the same notes but in different order, as Yves pointed out.

[Nathaniel Lebans]

Ok here it is they don't sound the same major sounds bright and uplifting minor sounds sad  C majors relative minor is A they both have the same key signature . Major and minor scales have different structures C major is T, T, S, T, T, T, S. = Tone Tone Semitone Tone Tone Tone Semitone  from one note to the next  and the  A minor Harmonic form  is  T, S, T, T, S, T+S, S. = Tone, Semitone, Tone, Tone, Semitone, Tone +Semitone,  Semitone.  Which Raises the 7th Note a chromatic semitone to G# ascending and descending.

1. To write the A minor Scale, Harmonic form start on the  scale of C starting on the 6th note which is A

2. Number the notes , Counting A as 1

3 Raise the 7th note a chromatic semitone or half-step From G to G# making a semitone between the 7th and 8th notes 

There is also a melodic minor which raises the 6th and 7th notes ascending and lowering them to their original pitch  when descending back to their natural form of "C major" or A B C D E F# G# A ascending, A G F E D C B A Descending

[Nathaniel Lebans]

PS AN easy way to figure it out is look at a piano. There are paired black keys together and triple black keys together Two then three all the way up the keyboard. In the  C scale ascending from left to right The C is the white key on the left of the paired Black keys the C To D has a black note in between so does D to E. Which are tones  no black key between E and F which is a Semitone  F to G, G to A, and A to B all have a black notes in between, all tones, then the last note from B back to C no black in between  is a semitone.  ascending Can you picture that Or did i just screw everybody up