Melodic minor scales

We now know major scales, the modes of major, and a common mode – the Aeolian – which is also the natural minor scale.

We have learned that when using the natural minor scale, the key defining progression (i V I) does not sound convincing since there is no half step between the 7 and 8 scale degree of the natural minor scale; there is no leading tone.

Therefore, we raise the 7th scale degree of natural minor to form a harmonic minor scale.

Raising the 7th scale degree gives us back the leading tone, the half step between 7-8, and makes the the harmonies in the V chord resolve back to the I chord.

However, raising the 7th scale degree creates a strange interval, a W+H step, between scale degrees 6 and 7 in the harmonic minor scale.

Melodic Minor Scale

This W+H interval is very hard to sing. (Try it.) Therefore, to keep the leading tone and to “fix” the awkward interval, we raise the 6th scale degree a half step to make the scale more singable.

Because we are changing the scale to make it more singable and melodic, we call this new scale the melodic minor scale.

Notice that the bottom half of the melodic minor scale is like minor (1-2-b3-4, W-H-W), while the top half of the scale is like major ( 5-6-7-8, W-W-H).

When descending, we do not need the leading tone (and thus no raised 6 scale degree either), the scale is the same as the natural minor.

We will diagram only the ascending version of the melodic minor scale with the chord that is contained in the chord:

The chord is the minor-major 7th chord with extensions 9, 11, and 13.

Exercises

Play the major and minor scales. Transpose to other notes and play those. (PDF of scales here.)

Play the chords associated with the scales. Transpose to other notes and play those modes. (PDF of the 13 chords here.)

Improvise on the modes and the chords.