Minor Scale Question

[CJceltics33]

A bit of a theory question here. I’m referring to the minor scale section in the Arban. I believe that it is a melodic minor on the way up and harmonic minor on the way down. However, I am unsure why Arban writes the scales with more than an octave. Take the first exercise, A minor. It starts on low A and goes to an E at the top of the staff, with an F sharp and a G sharp. The second line of the exercise starts on bottom of the staff E and ascends to A above the staff. Anyone know Arban’s purpose for writing it this way? I know the reason for the accidentals, just wondering about why it goes for more than an octave.

[brassmusician]

Without looking up that exercise I would say because it is good to practice a scale by starting on different degrees of the scale, not just the tonic. Arban may have had other reasons though.
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[iiipopes]

Melodic minor ascending is used to provide the leading tone for V-i resolutions and other motifs and progressions in a piece, so the sixth and seventh scale tones are raised or sharp, as with a major ascending scale.

Melodic minor descending is used to provide iv-V progressions, as the iv chord is usually minor, as well as other motifs and progressions, like a passing 6/4 chord, for example.

Both forms of the melodic minor scale are used in order to avoid melodically - hence the name of the scale - the 1 1/2 step leap in the harmonic minor scale from the flat 6th tone of the scale to the raised, or leading tone 7th tone of a scale.

Harmonic minor has the 1 1/2 step between the flat 6th and raised 7th, , because in a minor key the iv is usually minor and the V is usually major, as Western theory really, really wants to lean on the leading tone to resolve to the tonic among all of the other "regular" chord progressions and inversions of common era Western music theory.

And then there is the natural minor scale, which is simply a derivation of the Aeolian mode, with flat 6th and flat 7th scale tones, used in tonal music as the descending melodic minor rather than as a structure for modal chant and other modal music.

I know. Clear as mud. But that is why the Arban is written as it is.
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[Harryw413]

make sure that that augmented second between "le" and "ti" is far enough. Far too often students compress it and do not center

[EBjazz]

I think he's just trying to cover more range. The minor scale section in Arban is woefully incomplete. Someday I may do a Complete Arban Minor scale giveaway. Until then, here's my Complete Arban Scales:
https://bolvinmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/complete-arban-scales-for-trumpet.pdf

Eb
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[Croquethed]

I still have PTSD from Arban in high school. It oughta be burned like a draft card.

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