Originally Posted by: renIn the music theory syllabuses I have studied and now teach, there really is no natural minor scale. Any minor scale is always either harmonic or melodic.[/quote]
What syllabus are you using? :confused:
[QUOTE=ren]Now, I'm not saying that there is no natural minor - what I'm trying to say is that whenever there is talk of a minor scale in this context it must either harmonic or melodic.

That is a weird context. LOL I didn't realize it was you, ren.

Having read your other posts, I know you are competent in music theory. So, I'm sure you are aware that the harmonic and melodic minor scales are altered forms of the natural minor scale. So, this syllabus is saying that something altered exists, but the original source from which it was altered doesn't exist.

How does the syllabus you are referring to address this issue?

How does it manage to get from major scale to harmonic minor without the natural minor scale?

In my university piano proficiency exam I had to play all three minor forms. In every music theory class and book I studied all three forms were identified and studied.