Question about Melodic minor scale

[Pablo De Miguel]

I found in an online course an explanation about the melodic minor scale, in these course the explanation says that to make a melodic minor scale you must raise the sixth and seventh degrees of the major scale a halftstef when ascending the scale and then flat again those two notes when descending the scale, but then when I watched the PG lesson about this scale he just flat the thirth degree of the major scale to make a melodic minor scale. Why are these two explanation so diferent and wich one is correct?

 

[Syn Gates]

Love this question! BOTH ANSWERS ARE CORRECT! I know it’s confusing but my father went for the “least amount of changes” to explain this scale but it’s confusing because he takes a MAJOR scale to explain how to get to a MINOR scale. The other requires an additional step but since the starting point is minor(aeolian), it’s a touch less confusing to some people. I believe my father was also trying to highlight that melodic minor has characteristics of “major” at the end which is very important to understand.
All you have to know, is the scale itself. Know how to play it, know what to play it over, and know it by chords(triads and extensions from each degree of the scale).
I would bet a lot of money that all of the aforementioned is quite confusing but here’s the great news…..the community can help!
I’ve given an outline, now ask particular questions and don’t stop until you get it.
Also, basic studies to merely understand this immensely deep combination of intervals(melodic minor scale) can add up to years so PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, be patient and ENJOY THE PROCESS!

 

[idssdi]

Well, I’ve never realized that tbh. I always just took the natural minor scale(aeolian) and raised the 6th and seventh note by a halve step but thought it kinda resembled a major scale in the process too

 

[idssdi]

Syn made me think about the melodic minor scale for a bit and I realized I should use it more.
It has this really cool quality that instead of just the V chord(like in harmonic minor and the major scale) in melodic minor both the IV and V chords are dominant, which is actually a major scale with a flat third. Besides you can find the D# diminished in there so you can perfectly well do like a i IV V chord progression and play melodic minor over the i and IV chord and use phrygian dominant. I think the Thrill is done actually has a IV and V that’s dominant





This reply was modified 1 month ago by  Ids Schiere.

 

[Pablo De Miguel]

Ok, Thank you Syn and Ids!