Melodic minor · A · Guitar
The A Melodic minor scale is A B C D E F♯ G♯ — formula 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7, step pattern W–H–W–W–W–W–H. Use it over Am(maj7): it is the scale for minor-major-seventh tonic chords, and as the parent scale of Lydian dominant and Altered. Below, every note is marked on the fretboard in standard tuning; press play to hear it on a synthesized guitar while each note lights up, or tap any fret to sound that note.
Visualizer
Guitar · standard tuning
Piano
Tap any note on the diagram to hear it. Play loops the scale up and down one octave in eighth notes (switch Loop off for a single pass) in the position starting at fret 5. “Show” switches or combines the fretboard and keyboard; “Sound” picks the instrument you hear. Audio is synthesized in the browser.
Reference
| Degree | Note | Interval from A | Step to next |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | unison (0 semitones) | W |
| 2 | B | major 2nd (2 semitones) | H |
| ♭3 | C | minor 3rd (3 semitones) | W |
| 4 | D | perfect 4th (5 semitones) | W |
| 5 | E | perfect 5th (7 semitones) | W |
| 6 | F♯ | major 6th (9 semitones) | W |
| 7 | G♯ | major 7th (11 semitones) | H |
Chord it implies: Am(maj7) (A – C – E – G♯). Use it for: minor-major-seventh tonic chords, and as the parent scale of Lydian dominant and Altered.
Common questions
A B C D E F♯ G♯. As scale degrees: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7. It has 7 notes.
A Melodic minor fits Am(maj7) and, more generally, minor-major-seventh tonic chords, and as the parent scale of Lydian dominant and Altered.
1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7 — the step pattern from the root is W H W W W W H (W = whole step, H = half step).
Start on the root A on the low E string at fret 5, and play the one-octave position shown: E-string fret 5, E-string fret 7, E-string fret 8, A-string fret 5, A-string fret 7, A-string fret 9, D-string fret 6, D-string fret 7. Every A on the neck is a root, so the same shape works in every position where the notes are marked.
Keep going
Same scale on piano · all Melodic minor pages: Melodic minor hub · theory: chord-scale theory.
Other scales from A