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Standard
Scales
Chords
A
Melodic Minor
Frets: 0 - 24

Formula
Notes

M2-m2-M2-M2-M2-M2
A
B
C
D
E
F♯
G♯
E
B
D
A
E
C
G♯
1
F♯
A
E
B
F♯
2
D
C
3
G♯
B
F♯
G♯
4
A
E
C
D
A
5
G♯
6
B
F♯
D
A
E
B
7
C
C
8
G♯
E
B
F♯
9
D
A
C
D
10
F♯
G♯
11
E
B
D
A
E
12
C
G♯
13
F♯
A
E
B
F♯
14
D
C
15
G♯
B
F♯
G♯
16
A
E
C
D
A
17
G♯
18
B
F♯
D
A
E
B
19
C
C
20
G♯
E
B
F♯
21
D
A
C
D
22
F♯
G♯
23
E
B
D
A
E
24

Basic Scale Information

  • Name: Melodic Minor
  • Type: Artificial minor scale
  • Formula: 1 – 2 – ♭3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7
  • Relation with Major Scale: Differs from the major scale only by the minor third. It is a minor version with ascending melodic characteristics.

Theoretical Aspects

  • Sound Character: Sophisticated and ambiguous, it blends minor and major elements. It has a lyrical and modern flavor, often perceived as elegant but restless.
  • Typical Chord: mMaj7
  • Modal Context: It is the parent scale from which many modern modal modes used in jazz and contemporary music derive. Perfect for the tonal minor I with an ascending melodic sense.
  • Harmonic Use: Commonly used on I- major/minor (e.g., AmMaj7), or as a basis for creating sophisticated tension in derived modes (e.g., Lydian Dominant, Super Locrian).

Musical Context

  1. Musical Styles: Jazz, Fusion, Contemporary Classical, Progressive
  2. Songs using the scale:
    • Nefertiti - Wayne Shorter
    • Maiden Voyage (modal use) - Herbie Hancock
    • Song for Bilbao - Pat Metheny
    • Giant Steps (some passages) - John Coltrane
  3. Evoked Atmosphere: Elegant, abstract, mysterious, and harmonically rich.

Chords in Scale