Bass · melodic minor

E♭ melodic minor scale on bass

The E♭ melodic minor scale has seven notes: E♭, F, G♭, A♭, B♭, C and D (1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7). A minor scale with a major 6th and 7th, or a major scale with a flat 3rd. The jazz minor: smooth over m6 and m(maj7) chords.

Key
Scale
The notes of the E♭ melodic minor scale
NoteE♭FG♭A♭B♭CD
Interval1 (root)2♭34567
Step to the nextwholehalfwholewholewholewholehalf
Make a practice sheet of it
The whole neckevery E♭ melodic minor scale note from the nut to fret 15, the root a diamond
EADG135791215open2♭34567R2♭3567R2♭34567R2♭34567R24567R2♭345

7 positions to learn it in

Played three notes on every string, the E♭ melodic minor scale has a position starting on each of its notes. They are good for speed, with the same picking pattern on every string. Press Play to hear each one, up and back down.

Position 1frets 1–5
EADG135open2♭34567R2♭3456
Position 2frets 2–7
EADG1357♭34567R2♭34567
Position 3frets 4–8
EADG35794567R2♭34567R
Position 4frets 6–10
EADG579567R2♭34567R2
Position 5frets 8–12
EADG791267R2♭34567R2♭3
Position 6frets 9–13
EADG89127R2♭34567R2♭34
Position 7frets 11–15
EADG101215R2♭34567R2♭345

Chords that go with the E♭ melodic minor scale

The chords on each note of the scale that use only its notes. Play over any of them and every note fits; E♭ (E♭m) is where it sounds at home.

On theChordSeventh chord
root (E♭)E♭mhome–
2 (F)FmcolourFm7colour
♭3 (G♭)G♭augdaylight–
4 (A♭)A♭the doorA♭7the door
5 (B♭)B♭the pullB♭7the pull
6 (C)Cdimthe edgeCm7♭5the edge
7 (D)Ddimthe edgeDm7♭5the edge

Scales with the same notes

Compare the E♭ minor scale, its natural minor.

Questions

What notes are in the E♭ melodic minor scale?

E♭, F, G♭, A♭, B♭, C and D. Its intervals from the root are 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7, and the steps between its notes are W H W W W W H (W a whole step, H a half step).

What chords go with the E♭ melodic minor scale?

The chords made only of its notes: E♭m, Fm, G♭aug, A♭, B♭, Cdim and Ddim, and as seventh chords Fm7, A♭7, B♭7, Cm7♭5 and Dm7♭5. E♭ is home: E♭m is the chord it sounds most settled over.

The melodic minor scale in every key

CC♯DE♭EFF♯GG♯AB♭B

Other scales in E♭

E♭ majorE♭ minorE♭ minor pentatonicE♭ major pentatonicE♭ bluesE♭ DorianE♭ MixolydianE♭ LydianE♭ PhrygianE♭ harmonic minorE♭ Phrygian dominant

Practise it on a sheet of your own in the practice sheet maker, with a metronome and a drone. Every scale: bass scales. This scale on guitar, ukulele, mandolin and banjo.