Harmonic Scales?

Hey everyone. I have been taught Pentatonic scales and Modes but never was i taught what Harmonic scales are but i often see them refered to.

For example in the Speed Kills DVD by Michael Angelo he refers to using a Harmonic Minor scale.

Could someone please explain what Harmonic Scales are or show me a link to where i can learn about them.

Thanks

A Harmonic Minor scale is like the Minor scale, except the seventh note of the scale is raised a half step.
Where an A minor scale would be this; A B C D E F G, an A Harmonic Minor scale would go like this; A B C D E F G#.
Intervalically its spelled like this (T=tone, S=semitone)
T-S-T-T-S-T+S-S
That T+S is a tone plus a semi tone, or three semitones.

The harmonic scale is exactly that, for harmonies. It was devised for choirs, back in the middle ages I think, when the voice started to replace instruments as the main toolof music, and in choirs they found certain intervals werent pleasing to the ear, so they amended the natural minor scale to suit. Youll rarely come across it in guitar music, if at all. The melodic minor and natural minor are the main scales used.

Thanks for the responses.

What is the Melodic Minor?

Is there a site that explains all this?

Melodic Minor is where the sixth note of the minor scale is sharpened, and as it says, its more suitable for melody writing. It changes the Em chord of the Am key to an E chord, its a more pleasing musical change.

The harmonic minor is basically thought up to change the natural minor's perfect cadence to be stronger harmonically. The sharpened 7th from the natural minor scale changes the v (minor 7th) in the minor scale to a V7 (dominant 7th) in a harmonic minor scale. So now the perfect cadence becomes V7-i, much stronger than what a natural minor would produce. The V7-i cadence is favored more than the v-i, especially in vocal music like led zeppelin said.

The harmonic minor is sometimes used to harmonize minor chords, especially m/maj7 chords or metal solos. A good note to use in this scale is it's leading tone (or raised 7th). Especially at the end when the cadence above is played. Try playing over the chord progression above and just before you play the 'i' chord play the leading tone then play the root note just as the 'i' chord is played. A very powerful ending to a minor phrase.

The melodic minor is used more in jazz music (traditionally), especially it's modes. Sometimes you'll hear the melodic minor scale referred to as the "Jazz Melodic Minor". An interesting thing about the melodic minor is the scale is different when it is played ascending than descending. Ascending it's the same as a natural minor scale, except you raise the 6th and 7th a half-step. Descending it changes back to a natural minor scale.