chromaticblue's write-up of the "minor" scale refers to the so-called "ascending melodic" minor. There are other types of minor scales:
Lower the third and sixth scale degrees of the major scale.
c C D Eb F G Ab B C
g G A Bb C D Eb F# G
d D E F G A Bb C# D
a A B C D E F G# A
e E F# G A B C D# E
b B C# D E F# G A# B
f# F# G# A B C# D E# F#
c# C# D# E F# G# A B# C#
g# G# A# B C# D# E Fx G#
eb Eb F Gb Ab Bb Cb D Eb
bb Bb C Db Eb F Gb A Bb
f F G Ab Bb C Db E F
The
Aeolian mode, or natural minor, is formed by lowering the seventh scale degree of the harmonic minor, or by beginning on the third scale degree of a major (
Ionian) scale.
c C D Eb F G Ab Bb C
g G A Bb C D Eb F G
d D E F G A Bb C D
a A B C D E F G A
e E F# G A B C D E
b B C# D E F# G A B
f# F# G# A B C# D E F#
c# C# D# E F# G# A B C#
g# G# A# B C# D# E F# G#
eb Eb F Gb Ab Bb Cb Db Eb
bb Bb C Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb
f F G Ab Bb C Db Eb F
The so-called "melodic" minor scale was created because the augmented second
interval in the harmonic minor is hard for
vocalists to sing. Ascending, it's a major scale with a lowered third; descending, it's identical to the natural minor.
c C D Eb F G A B C Bb Ab G F Eb D C
g G A Bb C D E F# G F Eb D C Bb A G
d D E F G A B C# D C Bb A G F E D
a A B C D E F# G# A G F E D C B A
e E F# G A B C# D# E D C B A G F# E
b B C# D E F# G# A# B A G F# E D C# B
f# F# G# A B C# D# E# F# E D C# B A G# F#
c# C# D# E F# G# A# B# C# B A G# F# E D# C#
ab Ab Bb Cb Db Eb F G Ab Gb Fb Eb Db Cb Bb Ab
eb Eb F Gb Ab Bb C D Eb Db Cb Bb Ab Gb F Eb
bb Bb C Db Eb F G A Bb Ab Gb F Eb Db C Bb
f F G Ab Bb C D E F Eb Db C Bb Ab G F