Music Theory · Chapter 4, Lesson 6 — Scales & Keys

The Melodic Minor Scale

Melodic minor is the only common scale that's traditionally written differently going up than coming down. Here's why — and how each direction sounds.

Intermediate ⏱ 6 min read 🎹 Interactive

What is the melodic minor scale?

The harmonic minor scale fixes minor's weak leading tone but creates an awkward 3-semitone leap between its 6th and 7th degrees. Melodic minor smooths that leap by raising the 6th degree too — but only when the melody is climbing. When it descends, that extra pull toward the tonic isn't needed, so classical theory has it fall back to the plain natural minor scale.

Two formulas: ascending and descending

Ascending, melodic minor raises both the 6th and 7th degrees compared to natural minor — which makes its top half identical to a major scale:

W H W W W W H

Descending, classical melodic minor drops both those raised notes and simply plays the natural minor scale backwards (W–W–H–W–W–H–W from the top).

🎹 Scale Explorer Pick a key and a direction, then click any note or key to hear it.
In the scale Tonic (root) Grey keys are notes outside the scale.

A melodic minor, both directions

  1. Ascending: A B C D E F♯ G♯ A
  2. Descending: A G F E D C B A

Notice the ascending version shares six notes with A major (only the 3rd, C, stays flat) — melodic minor really is a bridge between the minor and major sound worlds.

💡 Jazz note: Modern jazz theory usually treats melodic minor as a single fixed scale — the raised 6th-and-7th version, played both up and down. It's the parent scale of colorful modes like the Lydian dominant and the altered scale, so jazz players learn it as its own thing rather than a "rule" about direction.

Common questions

What is the melodic minor scale formula?

Ascending: W-H-W-W-W-W-H (raised 6th and 7th vs. natural minor). Descending, classical theory reverts to the plain natural minor scale.

Why does melodic minor change ascending and descending?

Raising the 6th and 7th ascending removes harmonic minor's awkward leap while preserving a strong pull to the tonic. That pull isn't needed on the way down, so it reverts to natural minor.

Is jazz melodic minor the same as classical melodic minor?

Not quite — jazz typically uses the raised version both ascending and descending, treating it as its own scale rather than switching direction.

What notes are in A melodic minor?

Ascending: A B C D E F♯ G♯ A. Descending (classical): A G F E D C B A.

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Related scales

D Minor Scale A Minor Scale B Minor Scale E Minor Scale

Keep learning

Chapter 4, Lesson 5The Harmonic Minor Scale Chapter 4, Lesson 4The Natural Minor Scale Chapter 4, Lesson 7 · NextRelative Major & Minor Chapter 5, Lesson 1Intervals