ABSTRACT
The minor scale differs from the major scale in three scale degrees: 3,6, and 7 all of which are lowered by one half-step relative to their major-scale counterparts. The diatonic 7 that lies a whole-step from the tonic has traditionally been raised by a half-step in order to replicate the leading tone as it occurs in the major scale; the result can be seen in harmonic minor scale. The distinctions between these three forms of minor are commonly held in theory, but in practice, it is common for music to exhibit all three interchangeably. The last tendency tone in minor is 7 when it is raised to become the leading tone, as in harmonic minor and in ascending melodic minor. The melodic minor scale has ascending and descending versions of 6 and 7, allowing a minor-mode melody to have both a raised leading tone and a lowered submediant, the latter of which maintains the characteristic sound of the minor mode.
