A melodic minor scale on guitar
The A melodic minor scale has seven notes: A, B, C, D, E, F♯ and G♯ (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 | A | B | C | D | E | F♯ | G♯ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | 1 (root) | 2 | ♭3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Step to the next | whole | half | whole | whole | whole | whole | half |
5 positions to learn it in
On guitar a seven-note scale is learnt in five shapes, each built round one of the open chord shapes C, A, G, E and D. Together they cover the neck. Press Play to hear each one, up and back down.
Chords that go with the A 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; A (Am) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (A) | Amhome | – |
| 2 (B) | Bmcolour | Bm7colour |
| ♭3 (C) | Caugdaylight | – |
| 4 (D) | Dthe door | D7the door |
| 5 (E) | Ethe pull | E7the pull |
| 6 (F♯) | F♯dimthe edge | F♯m7♭5the edge |
| 7 (G♯) | G♯dimthe edge | G♯m7♭5the edge |
Scales with the same notes
Compare the A minor scale, its natural minor.
Questions
What notes are in the A melodic minor scale?
A, B, C, D, E, F♯ and G♯. 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 A melodic minor scale?
The chords made only of its notes: Am, Bm, Caug, D, E, F♯dim and G♯dim, and as seventh chords Bm7, D7, E7, F♯m7♭5 and G♯m7♭5. A is home: Am is the chord it sounds most settled over.
The melodic minor scale in every key
Other scales in A
A majorA minorA minor pentatonicA major pentatonicA bluesA DorianA MixolydianA LydianA PhrygianA harmonic minorA Phrygian dominant
Practise it on a sheet of your own in the practice sheet maker, with a metronome and a drone. Every scale: guitar scales. This scale on bass, ukulele, mandolin and banjo.