I can't seem to get this right- I have practised it for TWO WEEKS and every day I think I've cracked it but the next day it falls to pieces again.

I know it is the same as Ab minor, so it would go:

G#, A#, B, C#, D#, E, F#, G# (two octaves)

but how can I go back down again without getting my fingers in a muddle and an extra note on the string? Or is it just me that can't do it?! (I suspect it is...)

And how does the melodic one go? I've got F## to be raised, and then flattened to F# but then do I raise and flatten E as well? So: G#, A#, B, C#, D#, E#, F##, G#- F#, E, D#, C#, B, A#, G#?

That seems to sound right, but again I seem to end up with five notes on a string...

I am not sure how you have been told to finger this but obviously there are no open strings so use of the 4th fingers is required. Only 2 octaves so we can ignore shifting. I would play this with the hand in a sort of 1/2 position so as if you tried to play A minor without open strings but everything down a semitone.

So fingering is 1-G#, 2-A#, 3-B, 4-C#, D String 1-D#, 2-E, 3-F## (I assume you are doing harmonic rather than natual minor), 4-G# etc finishing on the 3rd finger G# on the E string. If you position your whole hand back a semitone from where it perhaps normally sits it should hopefully work much like other scales

Hope that makes sense. If not ask and I (or somebody cleverer) will try and explain more clearly.

Yes....just like any other minor scale BUT for the open E near the end (where normally there would be a low first finger) and then use your 2nd finger not your first for the next note finishing with a G# with your 3rd finger.

Then back down the same using on open E and no first finger (or trying to do anything fancy on the A string and 5 fingers!)

When I learnt this scale, I found it helped to mark the semitiones in my scale book and learn the finger patterns that way. Easier than thinking about all those sharps and double sharps!

Can't help as I'm still pre-G1 and, as a violist, would have a different list of scales anyway, but I just wanted to say that that G#minor scale looks FOUL!

Elisabeth- it IS foul

Ok, thanks guys. I am getting a little less confused about fingering. But now I'm more confused about the notes.

I thought that for harmonic, the notes went E, F#, G# and the same back down.
Melodic would be E#, F##, G#, F#, E

Is that right or completely wrong? (I wish I had a violin scale book now!)

Jane- thanks for the tip regarding second finger.

Harmonic minor is F## too - both ways!!

Aha, now I see!
Thanks...

What under the canopy is F##?? Sharp twice??? High finger position?

Raise the F by two semitones. On the piano it ends up being the same note as G natural.

It's a G with a different name, as we can't call it G as the key is G# so the name G is already taken!!

I see! Oh my hat!

Same as what I spell Fx, pronounced "eff double sharp", two chromatic semitones (i.e. two half position shifts = one shift, or two finger extensions) up from F. It can sometimes be convenient to think of it as G natural, but it's the same note only on fixed pitch instruments with 12 notes to the octave, like double action harps, pianos, and organs. Very good string players in an ensemble without such straitjackets make it a slightly different pitch, so as to make the harmony sound smooth.

It confused me at the beginning too! I'm starting to get the hang of scales now- major scales are easy peasy but minor scales still bug me a bit, especially when they're just plain evil, like this one. And they are SO much easier to remember on the piano!! Probably because I remember them visually using black and white keys... on the violin I don't have that so I have to concentrate extra hard (and still get it wrong )

I 'love' a bit of 'variety' and as such LOVE minor scales, especially the melodic ones which give me PLENTY of variety

This scale is FOUL.
It is horrible.
Right now, I can't for the life of me think of how i play it (out of tune i might add) but once ive practised later I will come back to see if I can give any help.
I sympathise!
x

What grade are you working towards, LL? Isn't G#minor a G5 monstrosity?

I think I remember LL saying that she is not learning scales by the grade but in some other sort of order?
am I right LL?

That's right- although I'm not entirely sure how I am learning them! I suppose it is kind of in grade order; I've covered: A, Bb, C, D, E, F, G, G#(Ab) majors and minors (although I didn't learn them in that order).

I don't really know what grade I am playing at now, but my teacher is going to find out... I'm going to guess and put myself at grade 3 but I'm not too sure.

Everybody hates G# minor at Grade 5, but just wait until you've got three octaves of it at Grade 7

OK, now I'm scared

Me too.

I like G#minor!!

I can do that one!