Melodic minor scale on guitar
Minor with raised 6th and 7th. Jazz minor vocabulary. Formula 1 2 b3 4 5 6 7. In A, the melodic minor scale is A, B, C, D, E, F#, G#.
Formula and step pattern
Steps between neighbouring notes, closing on the octave: W H W W W W H (W = whole step, H = half step, W+H = three semitones).
| Degree | Semitones from root | In A |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | A |
| 2 | 2 | B |
| b3 | 3 | C |
| 4 | 5 | D |
| 5 | 7 | E |
| 6 | 9 | F# |
| 7 | 11 | G# |
Melodic minor scale notes in all 12 keys
The root fret columns show where each key starts on the 6th (low E) and 5th (A) strings in standard tuning.
| Key | Notes | Root on 6th string | Root on 5th string |
|---|---|---|---|
| C melodic minor | C D Eb F G A B | 8 | 3 |
| C# melodic minor | C# D# E F# G# A# B# | 9 | 4 |
| D melodic minor | D E F G A B C# | 10 | 5 |
| Eb melodic minor | Eb F Gb Ab Bb C D | 11 | 6 |
| E melodic minor | E F# G A B C# D# | Open (and 12) | 7 |
| F melodic minor | F G Ab Bb C D E | 1 | 8 |
| F# melodic minor | F# G# A B C# D# E# | 2 | 9 |
| G melodic minor | G A Bb C D E F# | 3 | 10 |
| Ab melodic minor | Ab Bb Cb Db Eb F G | 4 | 11 |
| A melodic minor | A B C D E F# G# | 5 | Open (and 12) |
| Bb melodic minor | Bb C Db Eb F G A | 6 | 1 |
| B melodic minor | B C# D E F# G# A# | 7 | 2 |
Fretboard positions: A melodic minor
Root in solid cyan, scale tones outlined, from the open strings to fret 15. Slide the pattern along the neck to change key, using the root frets in the table above.
Pick another root in the scale trainer to light up the melodic minor scale in any key.
Chords that fit A melodic minor
Chords from the chord library built only from notes of A melodic minor (A B C D E F# G#).
Related scales
- Major scale: One note apart: Major has 3 where melodic minor has b3.
- Dorian scale: One note apart: Dorian has b7 where melodic minor has 7.
- Harmonic minor scale: One note apart: Harmonic minor has b6 where melodic minor has 6.