Types of Minor Scales Compared: Natural, Harmonic, Melodic

The minor scale comes in several forms: natural, harmonic and melodic, plus the Dorian scale, which sounds minor but has a raised sixth. They all start from the same base and differ in one or two degrees. Knowing at a glance what changes in each one is the key to scale exercises and to understanding the harmony of each. The natural minor scale is the reference: the others are changes to it. (Strictly speaking, the Dorian scale is a mode, not a form of the minor scale, but in this comparison it is treated as a fourth variant because it has a minor third and is often practiced next to the other three.)

Comparison table

Type	Changed degrees	Example in A minor
Natural	None	A B C D E F G
Harmonic	7th raised a half step	A B C D E F G♯
Melodic ↑	6th and 7th raised a half step	A B C D E F♯ G♯
Melodic ↓	Same as natural	G F E D C B A
Dorian	6th raised a half step	A B C D E F♯ G

Interval patterns (W = whole step, H = half step, A2 = augmented 2nd)

Type	1–2	2–3	3–4	4–5	5–6	6–7	7–8
Natural	W	H	W	W	H	W	W
Harmonic	W	H	W	W	H	A2	H
Melodic ↑	W	H	W	W	W	W	H
Dorian	W	H	W	W	W	H	W

The most striking difference is the augmented 2nd (3 half steps) between the 6th and 7th degrees of the harmonic minor: that leap gives it its characteristic exotic sound. The ascending melodic minor removes it by raising the sixth degree as well. The Dorian scale raises only the sixth, which gives it a brighter color without the augmented 2nd.

The examples below show the staff (UK: stave) of the four types (natural, harmonic, melodic and Dorian) for each minor key.

Each minor key in its four types

A minor

A natural minor scale, no accidentals: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A.

A harmonic minor scale, with the accidentals written next to each note: A, B, C, D, E, F, G♯, A. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: G♯.

A melodic minor scale, with the accidentals written next to each note: ascending: A, B, C, D, E, F♯, G♯, A; descending: G♮, F♮, E, D, C, B, A. In red, the notes that differ from the natural minor scale: F♯, G♯, G♮, F♮.

A Dorian scale, with the accidentals written next to each note: A, B, C, D, E, F♯, G, A. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: F♯.

E minor

E natural minor scale with a key signature of 1 sharp: E, F♯, G, A, B, C, D, E.

E harmonic minor scale with a key signature of 1 sharp: E, F♯, G, A, B, C, D♯, E. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: D♯.

E melodic minor scale with a key signature of 1 sharp: ascending: E, F♯, G, A, B, C♯, D♯, E; descending: D♮, C♮, B, A, G, F♯, E. In red, the notes that differ from the natural minor scale: C♯, D♯, D♮, C♮.

E Dorian scale with a key signature of 1 sharp: E, F♯, G, A, B, C♯, D, E. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: C♯.

B minor

B natural minor scale with a key signature of 2 sharps: B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G, A, B.

B harmonic minor scale with a key signature of 2 sharps: B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G, A♯, B. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: A♯.

B melodic minor scale with a key signature of 2 sharps: ascending: B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G♯, A♯, B; descending: A♮, G♮, F♯, E, D, C♯, B. In red, the notes that differ from the natural minor scale: G♯, A♯, A♮, G♮.

B Dorian scale with a key signature of 2 sharps: B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G♯, A, B. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: G♯.

F♯ minor

F♯ natural minor scale with a key signature of 3 sharps: F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D, E, F♯.

F♯ harmonic minor scale with a key signature of 3 sharps: F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D, E♯, F♯. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: E♯.

F♯ Dorian scale with a key signature of 3 sharps: F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: D♯.

C♯ minor

C♯ natural minor scale with a key signature of 4 sharps: C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯.

C♯ melodic minor scale with a key signature of 4 sharps: ascending: C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A♯, B♯, C♯; descending: B♮, A♮, G♯, F♯, E, D♯, C♯. In red, the notes that differ from the natural minor scale: A♯, B♯, B♮, A♮.

C♯ Dorian scale with a key signature of 4 sharps: C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A♯, B, C♯. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: A♯.

G♯ minor

G♯ natural minor scale with a key signature of 5 sharps: G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯.

G♯ harmonic minor scale with a key signature of 5 sharps: G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E, F double sharp, G♯. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: F double sharp.

G♯ melodic minor scale with a key signature of 5 sharps: ascending: G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E♯, F double sharp, G♯; descending: F♯, E♮, D♯, C♯, B, A♯, G♯. In red, the notes that differ from the natural minor scale: E♯, F double sharp, F♯, E♮.

G♯ Dorian scale with a key signature of 5 sharps: G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E♯, F♯, G♯. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: E♯.

D♯ minor

D♯ natural minor scale with a key signature of 6 sharps: D♯, E♯, F♯, G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯.

D♯ harmonic minor scale with a key signature of 6 sharps: D♯, E♯, F♯, G♯, A♯, B, C double sharp, D♯. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: C double sharp.

D♯ melodic minor scale with a key signature of 6 sharps: ascending: D♯, E♯, F♯, G♯, A♯, B♯, C double sharp, D♯; descending: C♯, B♮, A♯, G♯, F♯, E♯, D♯. In red, the notes that differ from the natural minor scale: B♯, C double sharp, C♯, B♮.

D♯ Dorian scale with a key signature of 6 sharps: D♯, E♯, F♯, G♯, A♯, B♯, C♯, D♯. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: B♯.

A♯ minor

A♯ natural minor scale with a key signature of 7 sharps: A♯, B♯, C♯, D♯, E♯, F♯, G♯, A♯.

A♯ harmonic minor scale with a key signature of 7 sharps: A♯, B♯, C♯, D♯, E♯, F♯, G double sharp, A♯. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: G double sharp.

A♯ melodic minor scale with a key signature of 7 sharps: ascending: A♯, B♯, C♯, D♯, E♯, F double sharp, G double sharp, A♯; descending: G♯, F♯, E♯, D♯, C♯, B♯, A♯. In red, the notes that differ from the natural minor scale: F double sharp, G double sharp, G♯, F♯.

A♯ Dorian scale with a key signature of 7 sharps: A♯, B♯, C♯, D♯, E♯, F double sharp, G♯, A♯. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: F double sharp.

D minor

D natural minor scale with a key signature of 1 flat: D, E, F, G, A, B♭, C, D.

D harmonic minor scale with a key signature of 1 flat: D, E, F, G, A, B♭, C♯, D. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: C♯.

D melodic minor scale with a key signature of 1 flat: ascending: D, E, F, G, A, B♮, C♯, D; descending: C♮, B♭, A, G, F, E, D. In red, the notes that differ from the natural minor scale: B♮, C♯, C♮, B♭.

D Dorian scale with a key signature of 1 flat: D, E, F, G, A, B♮, C, D. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: B♮.

G minor

G natural minor scale with a key signature of 2 flats: G, A, B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G.

G harmonic minor scale with a key signature of 2 flats: G, A, B♭, C, D, E♭, F♯, G. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: F♯.

G Dorian scale with a key signature of 2 flats: G, A, B♭, C, D, E♮, F, G. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: E♮.

C minor

C natural minor scale with a key signature of 3 flats: C, D, E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭, C.

C melodic minor scale with a key signature of 3 flats: ascending: C, D, E♭, F, G, A♮, B♮, C; descending: B♭, A♭, G, F, E♭, D, C. In red, the notes that differ from the natural minor scale: A♮, B♮, B♭, A♭.

C Dorian scale with a key signature of 3 flats: C, D, E♭, F, G, A♮, B♭, C. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: A♮.

F minor

F natural minor scale with a key signature of 4 flats: F, G, A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F.

F harmonic minor scale with a key signature of 4 flats: F, G, A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♮, F. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: E♮.

F melodic minor scale with a key signature of 4 flats: ascending: F, G, A♭, B♭, C, D♮, E♮, F; descending: E♭, D♭, C, B♭, A♭, G, F. In red, the notes that differ from the natural minor scale: D♮, E♮, E♭, D♭.

F Dorian scale with a key signature of 4 flats: F, G, A♭, B♭, C, D♮, E♭, F. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: D♮.

B♭ minor

B♭ natural minor scale with a key signature of 5 flats: B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G♭, A♭, B♭.

B♭ harmonic minor scale with a key signature of 5 flats: B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G♭, A♮, B♭. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: A♮.

B♭ melodic minor scale with a key signature of 5 flats: ascending: B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G♮, A♮, B♭; descending: A♭, G♭, F, E♭, D♭, C, B♭. In red, the notes that differ from the natural minor scale: G♮, A♮, A♭, G♭.

B♭ Dorian scale with a key signature of 5 flats: B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G♮, A♭, B♭. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: G♮.

E♭ minor

E♭ natural minor scale with a key signature of 6 flats: E♭, F, G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭, E♭.

E♭ harmonic minor scale with a key signature of 6 flats: E♭, F, G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭, D♮, E♭. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: D♮.

E♭ melodic minor scale with a key signature of 6 flats: ascending: E♭, F, G♭, A♭, B♭, C♮, D♮, E♭; descending: D♭, C♭, B♭, A♭, G♭, F, E♭. In red, the notes that differ from the natural minor scale: C♮, D♮, D♭, C♭.

E♭ Dorian scale with a key signature of 6 flats: E♭, F, G♭, A♭, B♭, C♮, D♭, E♭. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: C♮.

A♭ minor

A♭ natural minor scale with a key signature of 7 flats: A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭, E♭, F♭, G♭, A♭.

A♭ harmonic minor scale with a key signature of 7 flats: A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭, E♭, F♭, G♮, A♭. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: G♮.

A♭ melodic minor scale with a key signature of 7 flats: ascending: A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭, E♭, F♮, G♮, A♭; descending: G♭, F♭, E♭, D♭, C♭, B♭, A♭. In red, the notes that differ from the natural minor scale: F♮, G♮, G♭, F♭.

A♭ Dorian scale with a key signature of 7 flats: A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭, E♭, F♮, G♭, A♭. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: F♮.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why compare the types of minor scales?

Comparing them shows at a glance which degrees change in each variant. Natural minor is the base; harmonic minor raises the seventh; melodic minor raises the sixth and seventh going up (and goes back to natural minor going down); Dorian raises only the sixth. Seeing them side by side makes the differences easier to memorize and to apply quickly when playing or doing music-theory exercises.

How many types of minor scale are there?

In classical music theory, three forms of the minor scale are usually taught: natural (or pure), harmonic and melodic. The Dorian scale is a mode with a minor third and a raised sixth; it is often added to the comparison because it is widely used in popular music and jazz.

What is the difference between the melodic and harmonic minor scales?

The harmonic minor scale raises only the seventh degree by a half step, which creates an augmented 2nd between the sixth and seventh degrees and gives it its characteristic exotic sound. The melodic minor scale raises both the sixth and the seventh going up to smooth out that interval; going down it is the same as natural minor.

Which minor scale is used most in classical music?

The harmonic minor scale underlies most of the harmony of classical music in minor keys. Raising the seventh degree creates the leading tone, which is needed for the dominant seventh chord (V7). The ascending melodic minor is used in melodic lines to avoid the augmented 2nd that the harmonic minor creates.

What is the difference between the Dorian and natural minor scales?

The Dorian scale is the same as natural minor except for the sixth degree, which is raised a half step. For example, A Dorian has F♯ where A natural minor has F. This raised sixth gives it a brighter color and is very typical of jazz and popular music.