SWARSHALA — MINOR-SCALE COMPARISON WORKSHEET
Original learning aid, 3 October 2026
Guide: https://swarshala.com/blog/natural-harmonic-melodic-minor-scales

Scope: common classical scale-exercise convention, not jazz convention.
Natural minor is the reference. Harmonic: raise 7 one semitone.
Melodic ascending: raise 6 and 7. Melodic descending: natural-minor notes.
Read composed music as written; a change of melodic direction is not
permission to change a composer's notes.
ASCII notation: # = sharp; b after a letter = flat; plain letters = natural.

Date: _____________

TASK A: KEEP D AS TONIC
Reference ascending natural minor: D E F G A Bb C D
1. Harmonic ascending: _____________________________________________
   Changed degree and spelling: ___________________________________
2. Classical melodic ascending: ___________________________________
   Changed degrees and spellings: _________________________________
3. Classical melodic descending: __________________________________
4. Harmonic descending: ____________________________________________

TASK B: TRANSFER THE METHOD
Reference ascending E natural minor: E F# G A B C D E
5. Harmonic ascending: _____________________________________________
6. Classical melodic ascending: ___________________________________
7. Classical melodic descending: __________________________________

TASK C: DIAGNOSE
8. Repair "D C# B A G F E D" when labelled classical melodic minor
   descending: ____________________________________________________
9. Why is Bb -> B#, when asked to raise degree 6 of D natural minor,
   incorrect? _____________________________________________________
10. Does "natural minor" mean every note must be natural? __________

LOG: My error concerns baseline notes / alteration / direction.
Next check: ________________________________________________________

---------------- ANSWER KEY: CHECK AFTER YOUR ATTEMPT ----------------
1. D E F G A Bb C# D. Raise degree 7, C -> C#.
2. D E F G A B C# D. Raise 6, Bb -> B, and 7, C -> C#.
3. D C Bb A G F E D.
4. D C# Bb A G F E D. Harmonic retains raised 7 in descent.
5. E F# G A B C D# E.
6. E F# G A B C# D# E.
7. E D C B A G F# E. F# remains part of E natural minor.
8. D C Bb A G F E D: restore C and Bb, degrees 7 and 6.
9. Raise Bb one semitone to B natural. Bb -> B# is two semitones.
10. No. It names the scale form; E natural minor includes F#.

Source principles: Open Music Theory, Minor Scales; Music Theory for the
21st-Century Classroom, Minor Scales and Minor Key Signatures.
Full links and scope are in the guide. No copied repertoire is included.
AI-assisted publishing-desk material; no independent expert review claimed.