(You may want to read an introduction to scales first.)
There are three types of Minor Scales: Natural Minor, Harmonic Minor and Melodic Minor.
Natural Minor
The Natural Minor scale has the following pattern of half-steps (H) and whole-steps (W):
W-H-W-W-H-W-W
Here is a Natural Minor scale starting on F:
Harmonic Minor
The Harmonic Minor scale has the following pattern of half-steps, whole-steps and one augmented second (A2):
W-H-W-W-H-A2-H
Here is a Harmonic Minor scale starting on F:
Melodic Minor
The Melodic Minor scale is different because when we go up the scale we use one pattern and when we go down the scale we use another.
The ascending pattern is: W-H-W-W-W-W-H
The descending pattern is the Natural Minor Scale: W-H-W-W-H-W-W
Here are the ascending and descending patterns for the Melodic Minor scale starting on F:
Learn about more Scales
