Melodic Scales Question

[mister_C_major]

I have a question regarding the raised 7th in a Melodic Scale.

In the fashion my professor required me to play each scale, starting at the

Tonic of the Scale,

in a sixteenth note pattern,

going to the B6, B-sharp 6, or B-flat6 (depending on the key signature)

going down to C4, C-flat4, or C-sharp4(again depending on key signature),

and then returning to the Tonic, following the Melodic pattern.

So in the end the scale should look like " / \ /" with each slash of varing length depending on which scale you are playing.

Using this method, I unable to figure out whether, on the C Melodic, whether the B6 is really a B6 or B-flat6 because I can't figure out whether the scale is rising or falling since the leading tone is at the apex of the scale, or in the D Melodic, whether the C4 is really a C4, or a C-Sharp4 again because I can not tell whether the leading tone is rising or falling. I am aware of the raised 7th when ascending, and the natural minor when descending. This exercise may sound confusing due to my "great" explaining, but I would appreciate any input on the matter.

[ick27]

My suggestion would be to take the C minor scale up to high C, that would solve your problem.

The "reason" for the raised 7th in minor scales is to create a half step leading tone when rising to the tonic to strengthen the sense that the note actually is tonic. Our ears hear the leading tone quite strongly. However, if you raise the 7th, but not the 6th, you have an awkard minor 3rd in there, so you raise the 6th as well to make this interval a major 2nd. All this happens because you are going to the tonic. When you descend in the scale, you don't play the raised notes because you aren't approaching the tonic, you are leaving it. Only when the 6th and 7th approach the tonic should the be raised.
So, to finally answer your question, I would say that if you go to the 7th of the scale and not to the tonic, you should not raise the 6th and 7th because you are not getting to the tonic, even though it is an ascending scale.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

[mister_C_major]

I would use the suggestion you suggested, going to the high C, but part of the exercise is to NOT go to that note, so that option won't work:-/. I figure I'll just memorize the scales in the way IF the ascending or descending pattern were to continue. I'll just ask my professor the next chance I get. Thanks for the "reason" on the melodic scales.