Original: A minor scale in music theory is generally any scale that includes at least three essential scale degrees : one being the tonic , another at an interval of a minor third above the tonic , and another at an interval of a perfect fifth above the tonic , together composing the tonic minor triad .
Simplified: A minor scale in music theory is any scale that has at least three scale degrees : the tonic , the minor third above the tonic , and the perfect fifth above the tonic .