SleepfreaksDTM MEDIA SITE

51. Adding a Leading Tone to Natural Minor

Music Theory for BeginnersPublished 2016.12.04Updated 2026.07.17

Changing the Seventh Note to a Leading Tone

Starting this time, we finally get into why there are three types of minor scale.

As announced last time, we will check the natural minor diatonic chords by applying them to "the smallest unit of a chord progression," the "cadence," and also look at a version with a leading tone added, which creates a "pull back home".
Reviewing Lessons 27-31 and 45-50 should deepen your understanding.

The leading tone has the role of leading to the tonic a half step above.
In natural minor, the seventh note is not a half step below the tonic but a whole step below: the subtonic (also called the natural leading tone).
Let's raise it a half step and make it a leading tone.


We will check this in the key of C minor.


First, let's compare the natural minor scale with this new arrangement of the scale.

  • C natural minor scale

C D E♭ F G A♭ B♭ (C)
1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7 (8)

  • The new scale

C D E♭ F G A♭ B (C)
1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7 (8)

The new scale has a distinctive atmosphere between ♭6 and 7.
If you play it as below, it becomes a very classical-sounding phrase.

It's a beautiful flow while still firmly retaining a minor feel.
We'll cover the reason for this later, but for now, just get a feel for what kind of change this note brings.

Minor Diatonic Chords from the Scale with an Added Leading Tone

Now let's build diatonic chords from the new scale.
The method is the same as in Lesson 46 and others.

Stack the notes of the scale in thirds (skipping one note each time).

  • Triads

  • Four-note chords

Completely new chords have appeared, but let's focus on the fifth chord.
The fifth chord on this scale (on the dominant) becomes a V containing the leading tone as a triad, and a V7 containing the leading tone and the tritone as a four-note chord.
You could say that this part alone has become the same as in major.


Comparing Cadences in Each Minor

Now let's apply this to the T → D → T "cadence."
We will compare returning to Im from the natural minor Vm/Vm7 with returning to Im from the V/V7 created by adding a leading tone.
The samples are in the key of C minor, with a pause in the middle to make the difference clear.

It does feel finished, but there's no sense of being released from tension and instability as there was with major.
Of course, this flow is also used often, but it gives the impression of ending gently, somewhat vaguely.

As with major, we were able to express in minor the flow of settling from tension and instability into stability.
The half-step movement differs from major, but now it seems we can get a strong sense of resolution in minor as well.

Next time, while keeping this difference in mind, let's go through the same steps as with major, one by one, in minor.


Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is the difference between natural minor and the scale with an added leading tone?

The seventh note of natural minor is ♭7 (the subtonic), but raising it a half step to 7 makes it a leading tone. The leading tone has a "pull back home" toward the tonic, creating a stronger sense of resolution.

Q2. Doesn't adding a leading tone lose the minor sound?

The 3rd to 6th notes remain flatted, so the character of minor is maintained. A distinctive atmosphere arises between the 6th and 7th notes, giving a classical, refined sound.

Q3. Why does the dominant chord (V, V7) become the same as in major?

Because the fifth chord containing the leading tone becomes a major chord (V) or a dominant seventh (V7), it comes to have the same function as in a major key, giving a strong sense of resolution.