melodic minor

[peter_traj]

hi guys,the melodic minor scale is played natural minor decending,does that mean when we improvise with it,every time we move back toward the head stock we have to play a natural minor note of the key we are in.if so ,why?
thanks,Peter

[szulc]

The short answer is NO.

The long answer:
The melodic minor has ascending and descending forms.
These were used by classical composers. Modern (Improvisational) use of the melodic minor consists of only the ascending form.

I usually look at the Melodic minor as the Dorian mode with a raised 7th, or raise the root in a major scale and you now have the Melodic minor starting on ii.

[the1andonly]

It's kind of based on the chord pregression. when you're resolving back to the Tonic chord, it's 'ascending' when the chords are non-cadencial, it's 'descending' for example:

In A minor:


Am - F - G - C - Bm - E7- Am

Am - F - G - C would all be played over with A natural minor. but the Bm-E7-Am is a ii-V-i cadance so you would use A melodic minor over the Bm and E7. (notice that these chords contain notes exclusive to the melodic minor scale)