Scale
A♭ melodic minor
Melodic minor modes
- Formula
- 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7
- Notes
- A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F G
Notation
Fretboard — frets 0–24
Degrees
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A♭ | perfect unison | 0 | The root — the tonal centre every other note is heard against; land on it and the sound resolves. |
| 2 | B♭ | major second | 2 | The major second — a bright neighbour a whole step above the root; in sus2 it replaces the third, so the chord commits to neither major nor minor. |
| ♭3 | C♭ | minor third | 3 | The minor third — the dark counterpart of the major third; it turns a shape minor and colours m, m7 and the minor scales. |
| 4 | D♭ | perfect fourth | 5 | The perfect fourth — stable yet suspended; in sus4 it takes the third's place and leaves the chord hanging. |
| 5 | E♭ | perfect fifth | 7 | The perfect fifth — the root's strongest companion; it anchors every triad and stacked-seventh quality. |
| 6 | F | major sixth | 9 | The major sixth — the hopeful note that separates dorian and m6 from their darker cousins; it sits a whole step above the fifth. |
| 7 | G | major seventh | 11 | The major seventh — the leading tone a half-step under the root; in maj7 it glows, in harmonic minor it sharpens the pull home. |
About this scale
Melodic minor is the minor scale with a raised sixth and seventh — the ascending form of the classical melodic minor, and the jazz minor of the modern improviser. The raised seventh gives a leading tone while the raised sixth keeps the gap to it smooth, so the scale resolves strongly without the exotic leap of harmonic minor. It is the parent of the melodic minor family and the sound of the m(maj7) chord. In jazz it functions as a tonic minor with brightness on top and darkness below, and every alteration of a dominant can be found among its degrees. Listen for the major sixth and seventh over the minor third.
How to practise this scale
- Play the raised sixth and seventh and hear the smooth path to the root.
- Compare it with harmonic minor and hear the augmented second disappear.
- Improvise over an m(maj7) chord and land on the major seventh.
- Play the scale in thirds to hear the major-quality top over a minor base.