Exercise 1
The key tone, the tone that lends its name to the key. This is A minor so the key tone is an a. In a way. Because Am has the same accidentals (uses the same notes) as C major. This also means that the key note of C major (c) plays an important role. In the end, all tones want to become the key note, but prefarably of the major key. That’s where all (!) tensions are resolved. So the tragedy of a minor key is in a way, that it’s not tensionless to begin with. It’s not the optimal balanced state.
Exercise 2
This is a demonstration of the universal value of pentatonic scales of a key. The fit almost every other chord. In this case part of the A minor pentatonic scale is used (a,c,d,e,g). The minor pentatonic scale is the basis of the blues scale. But the funny thing of the blues scale, is that you can use this minor scale on top of major chords as well, to get a real bluesy effect because of the tension between the 3 in the harmony and the b3 (a semitone lower) in the scale. That’s when we call the b3 a blue note. It’s not blue when used on minor chords that already have a b3.
Exercise 3
More rhythmic variety in this one. Variety (diversity) keeps audiences engaged. Well, unless you overdo it. Becuase audiences like patterns as well.
Exercise 4
The b5 of the key (e flat in A minor) as blue note on the 5 of the key (e in Am). This happens in the second and fourth bar. Blues is magic. The blues scale of a key works on most other chords in that key equally well.
Exercise 5
Added triplets for some rhythmical diversity. Diversity keeps audiences engaged.
