Melodic minor · C · Guitar
The C Melodic minor scale is C D E♭ F G A B — formula 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7, step pattern W–H–W–W–W–W–H. Use it over Cm(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 8. “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 C | Step to next |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | unison (0 semitones) | W |
| 2 | D | major 2nd (2 semitones) | H |
| ♭3 | E♭ | minor 3rd (3 semitones) | W |
| 4 | F | perfect 4th (5 semitones) | W |
| 5 | G | perfect 5th (7 semitones) | W |
| 6 | A | major 6th (9 semitones) | W |
| 7 | B | major 7th (11 semitones) | H |
Chord it implies: Cm(maj7) (C – E♭ – G – B). Use it for: minor-major-seventh tonic chords, and as the parent scale of Lydian dominant and Altered.
Common questions
C D E♭ F G A B. As scale degrees: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7. It has 7 notes.
C Melodic minor fits Cm(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 C on the low E string at fret 8, and play the one-octave position shown: E-string fret 8, E-string fret 10, E-string fret 11, A-string fret 8, A-string fret 10, A-string fret 12, D-string fret 9, D-string fret 10. Every C 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 C