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Melodic minor scale

The natural minor scale with its sixth and seventh raised: minor at the bottom, major at the top. Classical music raises them on the way up and plays the natural minor coming down; jazz plays these notes both ways.

Its formula is 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7: seven notes, smooth and jazzy.

Make a beat in A minor

Opens the free editor with a trap beat in A minor to play A melodic minor over. No account needed to start.

Hear the melodic minor scale

Here on A, A melodic minor. From the root up to the root: whole, half, whole, whole, whole, whole, half. Tap a key to hear it.

A B C D E F♯ G♯ A

ABCDEAF♯G♯
The melodic minor scale by scale degree, on A
DegreeOn AFrom the root
1ARoot
2BMajor second
♭3CMinor third
4DPerfect fourth
5EPerfect fifth
6F♯Major sixth
7G♯Major seventh

Its chords, one on each note: i ii ♭III+ IV V vi° vii°. On A that is Am Bm Caug D E F♯dim G♯dim.

The melodic minor scale in every key

The same steps from each of the twelve notes. Open one for its keyboard, its chords and a beat to play it over.

The melodic minor scale on all twelve notes
ScaleNotes
C melodic minorC D E♭ F G A B
C♯ melodic minorC♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A♯ B♯
D melodic minorD E F G A B C♯
E♭ melodic minorE♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C D
E melodic minorE F♯ G A B C♯ D♯
F melodic minorF G A♭ B♭ C D E
F♯ melodic minorF♯ G♯ A B C♯ D♯ E♯
G melodic minorG A B♭ C D E F♯
A♭ melodic minorA♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F G
A melodic minorA B C D E F♯ G♯
B♭ melodic minorB♭ C D♭ E♭ F G A
B melodic minorB C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A♯

Questions about the melodic minor scale

What is the melodic minor scale?

The natural minor scale with its sixth and seventh raised: minor at the bottom, major at the top. Classical music raises them on the way up and plays the natural minor coming down; jazz plays these notes both ways.

What is the formula of the melodic minor scale?

1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7: 7 notes, counted from the major scale on the same root. Its steps from the root up to the root are: whole, half, whole, whole, whole, whole, half.

How do I play the melodic minor scale in any key?

Start on any note and follow the steps above. A melodic minor: A B C D E F♯ G♯; C melodic minor: C D E♭ F G A B; E melodic minor: E F♯ G A B C♯ D♯. Every key is on this page, each with its own page and keyboard.

More scales and modes

Scales and modes
Major and minor keysMajor pentatonic scaleMinor pentatonic scaleBlues scaleHarmonic minor scaleMelodic minor scaleDorian modePhrygian modeLydian modeMixolydian modeLocrian modePhrygian dominant scaleWhole tone scale

Build a song on the melodic minor scale

Start with the beat, then add chords, a melody and your voice in the editor, part by part.

Make a beat in A minorAll music scales

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