SCALES THEORY - Lesson 4 - Melodic minor scales

[Andrew Milner]

You got away with harmonic scales, but I am still sending Doomguy after you if you say that our songs need to be melodic...

1. Topics of discussion
2. Melodic minor scales

1. Topics of discussion

In this tutorial, we are going to talk about melodic minor scales. So, let's have some fun.

2. Melodic minor scales

A melodic minor scale is also obtained by altering the natural minor scale. This time around though, we raise both the 6th and 7th notes of the said natural minor scale.

For example, the melodic A minor scale will consist of the A, B, C, D, E, F♯, G♯, and A notes. Here's how it looks like:

And yeah, there's this weird rule that my theory teacher taught me that when you play it in descending order, you're supposed to play the notes at their original pitch. I don't really know why that's the case. Just remember that when writing songs using a melodic minor scale, you're supposed to sharpen the 6th and 7th notes.

Anyhow, here is the scale played back.

And with that, we conclude this tutorial. Next time, we are going to discuss modal scales. See you then.

 

[Calvin Phillips]

Two harmonic and melodic are 2 I dont use often. They are 2 I need to start adding to my material.

 

[Lindsey]

I copied this from www.studybass.com

Ascending and Descending Melodic Minor
Here's the unusual bit. There are two forms of the melodic minor scale: ascending and descending.

The ascending melodic minor scale is what I've just described—a natural minor scale with a raised 6th and 7th. The descending melodic minor scale is another name for the natural minor scale. “Descending melodic minor” is just the plain old natural minor scale when descending.

Why? It was felt when melodies descended the scale, it sounded better with the flatted 6th and 7th, and while melodies ascended through the scale it sounded better with the raised 6th and 7th.

This ascending/descending distinction is respected in Classical music. To other musicians, like jazz musicians, 'melodic minor' simply refers to the ascending form of the melodic minor scale. Typically, musicians will just call the descending melodic minor by the name 'natural minor.'

You can expect to see and hear of these these distinctions of ascending and descending melodic minor scales, but don't worry too much about them. When people discuss the melodic minor scale in modern music they are most often speaking of the ascending form.

 

[Chipper]

As I understand it, in the classical period they wanted the lead-in tone, when approaching the root, to have that directional feeling. While descending the target wasn't "home", so the natural minor was fine. Of course, the use of the Harmonic minor was grotesque to the ears of the time, with the 1 1/2 step from the b6 to the #7. Today, with R & R, Jazz, Blues, etc. our ears are accustomed to much more dissonance. In the Impressionist era Claude DeBussy first used a 7#9 chord I believe in his composition Feuilles Mores. I understand he got some flack for it.

 

[Andrew Milner]

As I understand it, in the classical period they wanted the lead-in tone, when approaching the root, to have that directional feeling. While descending the target wasn't "home", so the natural minor was fine. Of course, the use of the Harmonic minor was grotesque to the ears of the time, with the 1 1/2 step from the b6 to the #7. Today, with R & R, Jazz, Blues, etc. our ears are accustomed to much more dissonance. In the Impressionist era Claude DeBussy first used a 7#9 chord I believe in his composition Feuilles Mores. I understand he got some flack for it.

Huh, never knew the first part, that's really cool.