Why are there melodic and harmonic scales?

Question

why not just harmonic? which is easy as pie

Answer 1

Well then, let's change it, so it'll be easy for you :-)

The reason has mostly to do with counterpoint and voice leading. The Melodic Minor, as you are aware, is different when ascending than when descending -- raise the 6th and 7th when you ascend, and flat them on the flip-flop. It's really easy if you think that ascending is simply a major scale with a flatted 3rd, and then a natural minor when you descend

The Western ear likes to hear a leading tone -- it wants to hear a half step between the 7th and 1st degrees especially when we employ a dominant to tonic chord progression (since the dominant contains the leading tone). That is where the harmonic form comes from.

Melodically, that creates an awkward leap between the 6th and 7th degree (augmented second) so it is smoothed out by also raising the 6th degree. But the descent does not require a leading tone -- because we are initially moving away from tonic -- so the natural form (or descending melodic) is used.

In reality, the use of the terms "ascending" and "descending" is misleading, because the form you would use is dictated by the underlying harmony, not by the direction of the line.

Does this make sense to you?

Doesn't matter-- even if it doesn't, you still have to know it (evil laugh)

Answer 2

The melodic and harmonic scales are two forms of the minor scale. The melodic has a raised 6th and 7th in the ascending form, and the natural form in the descending. Harmonic has a raised 7th, which causes the interval of a step and a half (enharmonically, an additional minor third), between the 6th and 7th step, both ascending and descending.

Answer 3

Theoretically, there really shouldn't be three minor scales. Really, there is just one, the natural minor scale with a flat 3, 6, and 7th scale degree. The "melodic" and "harmonic" minor really borrow the raised 6th and 7th degree from the major scale.
That makes sense, doesn't it?
If not, then why aren't there three forms of major? A natural major and a "melodic" and "harmonic" major each with their respective flat 6th and 7ths?
Unfortunately, this does not change the fact that as an instumentalist, you are required to play the "three forms of the minor scale."

Answer 4

0 sharps or flats - A minor: Going up: A B C D E F# G# A Coming down: A G F E D C B A 1 sharp - E minor: Going up: E F# G A B C# D# E Coming down: E D C B A G F# E 2 sharps - B minor: Going up: B C# D E F# G# A# B Coming down: B A G F# E D C# B 3 sharps - F# minor: Going up: F# G# A B C# D# E# F# Coming down: F# E D C# B A G# F# 1 flat - D minor: Going up: D E F G A B C# D Coming down: D C Bb A G F E D 2 flats - G minor: Going up: G A Bb C D E F# G Coming down: G F Eb D C Bb A G 3 flats - C minor: Going up: C D Eb F G A B C Coming down: C Bb Ab G F Eb D C There ya go! As you can see, the amount of flats or sharps refers to when you are coming back down. It has the exact same sharps and flats as it's relative major at this stage. Going up, you have to raise the 6th and 7th notes by a semi-tone. Hey, do you know how many octaves are required? For most of them, you'll be able to do 2 octaves, but for A and G minor, you'll probably only be required to do 1 octave, or maybe a 12th, which means playing one full octave and then going up to the 5th note in the 2nd octave (12 notes altogether). You may even need to do this for F#, depending on whether or not you have a high F# key on your instrument. Anyways, besta luck with the audition!

Answer 5

Learn the harmonic minor scales well, and your mind will reach out for the next step in musical tone colour, which is where the rest of the scales come in.

Learn and enjoy the different scales and their musical beauty. In time, you may find yourself becoming creative with them in ways of musical expression you never imagined before.

Answer 6

there are much more than that there are probably millions of different kinds of scales with different sounds. That it what makes variety in tone color.