F♯ melodic minor scale on mandolin
The F♯ melodic minor scale has seven notes: F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D♯ and E♯ (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.
| Note | F♯ | G♯ | A | B | C♯ | D♯ | E♯ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | 1 (root) | 2 | ♭3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Step to the next | whole | half | whole | whole | whole | whole | half |
3 positions to learn it in
Each stretch here is a few frets you can play without moving the hand: the open position, then from the root on the lowest string. Press Play to hear each one, up and back down.
Chords that go with the F♯ 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; F♯ (F♯m) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (F♯) | F♯mhome | – |
| 2 (G♯) | G♯mcolour | G♯m7colour |
| ♭3 (A) | Aaugdaylight | – |
| 4 (B) | Bthe door | B7the door |
| 5 (C♯) | C♯the pull | C♯7the pull |
| 6 (D♯) | D♯dimthe edge | D♯m7♭5the edge |
| 7 (E♯) | E♯dimthe edge | E♯m7♭5the edge |
Scales with the same notes
Compare the F♯ minor scale, its natural minor.
Questions
What notes are in the F♯ melodic minor scale?
F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D♯ and E♯. 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 F♯ melodic minor scale?
The chords made only of its notes: F♯m, G♯m, Aaug, B, C♯, D♯dim and E♯dim, and as seventh chords G♯m7, B7, C♯7, D♯m7♭5 and E♯m7♭5. F♯ is home: F♯m is the chord it sounds most settled over.
The melodic minor scale in every key
Other scales in F♯
F♯ majorF♯ minorF♯ minor pentatonicF♯ major pentatonicF♯ bluesF♯ DorianF♯ MixolydianF♯ LydianF♯ PhrygianF♯ harmonic minorF♯ Phrygian dominant
Practise it on a sheet of your own in the practice sheet maker, with a metronome and a drone. Every scale: mandolin scales. This scale on guitar, bass, ukulele and banjo.