E melodic minor scale
A major scale with only the third made minor: minor without the melancholy of the minor sixth. In jazz, it’s called jazz minor.
- Notes:
- E, F♯, G, A, B, C♯, D♯.
- Formula:
- 1, 2, ♭3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
- Style:
- Jazz, classical, film music.
- Difficulty:
- Advanced.
On the neck
Every note of the scale on the neck (choose 12, 15 or 19 frets). Click to listen.
High E at the top, just like in tab.Neck seen from the front, headstock at the top: low E on the left, just like a chord diagram.
Play the scale notes over it. Open in the Studio
Its color
Melodic minor is harmonic minor with its sixth raised too: here C♯. It keeps the minor third but loses the melancholy of the minor sixth: a bright, almost mysterious minor.
Which chords to play it over
Play it over a long E minor chord, or over the Em, A7, Em, A7 vamp. Land on C♯ to bring out its color. Everything is explained on the melodic minor scale page.
Where you hear it
Jazz above all, where it’s called jazz minor, classical music in rising melodies, and film music.
Chords that go with it
The chords built on the notes of the scale: improvise with this scale over any progression that uses them.
Progressions to use it on
Loop the first one and improvise over it:
All 7 positions
Seven positions, one for each note of the scale, with three notes per string. It’s a major scale with a minor third: the major sixth (in purple) sets it apart from harmonic minor. Position 1 starts on the root, on the 6th string.
Position 1: frets 0 to 5
It also works an octave higher, frets 12 to 17.
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|-------------------------------2-3-5-| B|-------------------------2-4-5-------| G|-------------------0-2-4-------------| D|-------------1-2-4-------------------| A|-------0-2-4-------------------------| E|-0-2-3-------------------------------|
Position 2: frets 2 to 7
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|-------------------------------3-5-7-| B|-------------------------4-5-7-------| G|-------------------2-4-6-------------| D|-------------2-4-5-------------------| A|-------2-4-6-------------------------| E|-2-3-5-------------------------------|
Position 3: frets 3 to 9
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|-------------------------------5-7-9-| B|-------------------------5-7-8-------| G|-------------------4-6-8-------------| D|-------------4-5-7-------------------| A|-------4-6-7-------------------------| E|-3-5-7-------------------------------|
Position 4: frets 5 to 11
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|--------------------------------7-9-11-| B|-------------------------7-8-10--------| G|-------------------6-8-9---------------| D|-------------5-7-9---------------------| A|-------6-7-9---------------------------| E|-5-7-9---------------------------------|
Position 5: frets 7 to 12
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|-------------------------------------9-11-12-| B|-----------------------------8-10-12---------| G|----------------------8-9-11-----------------| D|---------------7-9-11------------------------| A|--------7-9-10-------------------------------| E|-7-9-11--------------------------------------|
Position 6: frets 9 to 14
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|------------------------------------------11-12-14-| B|---------------------------------10-12-14----------| G|-------------------------9-11-12-------------------| D|-----------------9-11-13---------------------------| A|---------9-10-12-----------------------------------| E|-9-11-12-------------------------------------------|
Position 7: frets 10 to 16
High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.
e|----------------------------------------------12-14-15-| B|-------------------------------------12-14-16----------| G|----------------------------11-12-14-------------------| D|-------------------11-13-14----------------------------| A|----------10-12-14-------------------------------------| E|-11-12-14----------------------------------------------|