Originally Posted by: pick294Specifically can someone tell me why the steps are the same in the A minor and the C minor?

Becase all minor scales have the same formula (the same set, or specific series of internal intervals). That is the defining characteristic. That is what makes them a minor scale. :)

Likewise, all major scales have formula unique to themselves.

Scale formula for every major scale:
(1) WS (2) WS (major 3) HS (4) WS (5) WS (major 6th) WS (major 7th) HS (1)

Scale formula for every minor scale:
(1) WS (2) HS (minor 3) WS (4) WS (5) HS (minor 6th) WS (minor 7th) WS (1)

Make sense?

For more info, see GF 2 chapter 1:

http://www.guitartricks.com/course.php?input=2

And my brief intro to music theory:

http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=495

Hope this helps! Let me know how it goes. Best of success.