Minor Scales: Natural, Harmonic & Melodic
The three forms of the minor scale — natural, harmonic and melodic — and how each one differs.
This chapter has moved and split in two. When the Music Theory track was rewritten (Aug 2026) to match the current Theory Packs, natural and harmonic minor moved to Grade 2's Minor Scales: Natural & Harmonic, and melodic minor now completes the story in Grade 3's Keys to Four Sharps & Flats, and the Three Minor Scales.
Explainer
Every major scale has a relative minor sharing the very same key signature — it starts on the 6th degree of the major scale (A minor is the relative minor of C major).
There are three forms of the minor scale, each with a slightly different formula.
Natural minor: W-H-W-W-H-W-W (the plain relative-minor notes). Harmonic minor: W-H-W-W-H-WH-H (the 7th degree is raised). Melodic minor (ascending): W-H-W-W-W-W-H (both the 6th and 7th degrees are raised).
Worked examples
A natural minor
A B C D E F G A — the plain relative minor of C major, no sharps or flats.
A harmonic minor
A B C D E F G♯ A — the 7th degree (G) is raised to G♯, giving a strong pull to the tonic.
A melodic minor (ascending)
A B C D E F♯ G♯ A — both 6th and 7th degrees (F and G) are raised on the way up.