The Melodic Minor Scale Through Time

 

Depiction of the Evolution of the MM Scale

The exact origin of the melodic minor scale, like many elements of music theory, is not attributed to a single inventor or a specific year of creation. The evolution of the melodic minor scale, as with many musical scales, is a result of centuries of musical development and cultural influences. Here's a brief overview:

Early Origins: The roots of the melodic minor scale can be traced back to the modes used in medieval and Renaissance music. During these periods, modes rather than scales as we know them today were the foundation of musical composition.

Baroque and Classical Periods: As music transitioned into the Baroque and Classical eras (circa 1600-1820), the use of the major and minor tonalities became more prominent. Composers began altering natural minor scales to suit harmonic and melodic needs, particularly in vocal music where smooth, stepwise motion was often desired.

Rise of the Harmonic and Melodic Minor: To address the limitations of the natural minor scale, especially its lack of a leading tone (a half step below the tonic), the harmonic minor scale was used. However, the large interval (augmented second) between the sixth and seventh degrees of the harmonic minor scale was seen as less conducive to smooth melody lines. This led to the alteration of the sixth and seventh degrees in ascending melodies, creating what we now know as the ascending melodic minor scale.

Twentieth Century and Beyond: Throughout the 20th century, the melodic minor scale, especially its ascending form, gained prominence in jazz and contemporary classical music. Jazz musicians, in particular, have exploited the scale's unique sound for both melody and improvisation, often using the ascending form exclusively in both ascending and descending contexts.

In summary, the melodic minor scale as we know it today is a product of a long evolution in Western music theory and practice. It wasn't so much invented at a specific point in time by an individual, but rather developed organically as composers and musicians sought to address the harmonic and melodic limitations of the existing musical scales.