Melodic minor scale: notes up and down, and its sound
The melodic minor scale raises the 6th and 7th going up and, in classical practice, returns to natural minor going down. Hear both and see all 12 keys.
The melodic minor scale raises the 6th and 7th notes of the natural minor scale when going up: A melodic minor ascends A B C D E F♯ G♯ A. In classical music it comes down as natural minor (A G F E D C B A); in jazz the raised form is used both ways.
Listen: A melodic minor scale
A B C D E F♯ G♯ A
What is the formula of the melodic minor scale?
| Value | |
|---|---|
| Notes | 7 |
| Semitones from the tonic | 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12 |
| Step pattern | W-H-W-W-W-W-H |
What does the melodic minor scale sound like?
Minor at the bottom, major at the top: it starts dark and finishes bright, smoothing out the awkward jump of harmonic minor.
How to recognise it by ear
- Only the third separates ascending melodic minor from major: A melodic minor is A major with a C natural.
- Going up it avoids the 3-semitone gap of harmonic minor, which is why singers find it easier.
- Classical scales come down in natural minor; jazz musicians call the ascending form the "jazz minor" scale.
Spot the wrong note
Each scale below is a melodic minor scale with one note moved a half step. Find it by ear.
Score: / 3 (your score updates as you answer)
The melodic minor scale in all 12 keys
| Scale | Notes | Hear it |
|---|---|---|
| A melodic minor | A B C D E F♯ G♯ | |
| E melodic minor | E F♯ G A B C♯ D♯ | |
| B melodic minor | B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A♯ | |
| F♯ melodic minor | F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D♯ E♯ | |
| C♯ melodic minor | C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A♯ B♯ | |
| G♯ melodic minor | G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯# | |
| D melodic minor | D E F G A B C♯ | |
| G melodic minor | G A B♭ C D E F♯ | |
| C melodic minor | C D E♭ F G A B | |
| F melodic minor | F G A♭ B♭ C D E | |
| B♭ melodic minor | B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G A | |
| E♭ melodic minor | E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C D |
Frequently asked questions
What is the formula of the melodic minor scale?
Going up: whole, half, whole, whole, whole, whole, half (0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12 semitones). Going down, classical practice uses the natural minor.
Why is melodic minor different going up and down?
Going up, the raised 6th and 7th lead smoothly to the tonic. Going down, there is no need for a leading note, so composers used the natural minor notes.
What are the notes of C melodic minor?
Going up: C D E flat F G A B C. Going down (classical): C B flat A flat G F E flat D C.
What is jazz minor?
The ascending melodic minor scale used both up and down, the source of several jazz chord-scales.