A minor scale that is different when played ascending and when played descending.
An ascending melodic minor scale consists of the following pitches:
1, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 (octave)
The result is a minor scale with a “natural” sixth and seventh degree (compared to a natural minor scale, in a melodic minor scale the sixth and seventh are raised by one half step).
When descending, the sixth and seventh degrees are flatted (dropped by one half step) as in a natural minor scale:
1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7, 8 (octave)
Composers, such as Mozart, used the melodic minor scale as an alternative to the harmonic minor scale, which features an augmented 2nd between the 6th and 7th scale degrees.
