As its name suggests, the melodic minor scale represents the tonal material used in the melodic aspect of a composition in a minor key. The melodic minor scale is unusual because it has both an ascending and a descending form. The descending form is identical to the natural minor scale, but the ascending form

The first five scale degrees of an ascending melodic minor scale are identical to the corresponding degrees in the natural minor scale with same tonic.

Example 10-1