B♭ Melodic minor scale: notes, chords and guitar positions

Scale

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Colour key

R234p567

Each colour is a scale degree, counted from the key. A ♭ or ♯ note keeps its degree's colour: ♭3 is still amber.

B♭ Melodic minor

Natural 6th and 7th over a minor 3rd. Smooth, jazzy minor.

Where you hear it: Minor-major tonic: m(maj7).

Key signature 5♭ (B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭)as D♭ major / B♭ minor, plus G♮ A♮ written in

Step pattern W – H – W – W – W – W – H

Compared with B♭ major: ♭3 D → D♭
Compared with B♭ natural minor: ♯6 G♭ → G, ♯7 A♭ → A

Hover to compare

B♭ Melodic minor on the guitar

R234p567

Shapes

Extra notes

Pick a position below to outline it on the neck.

in the pentatonic r ♭3 4 5 7: playedother notes of Melodic minor: not playedPlay runs up the position from its lowest note and back down; Sample melody plays a short tune using only its notes. Tap a position's name to see it on the neck.

Modes with the same notes as B♭ Melodic minor

B♭ Melodic minor1st degree C Dorian ♭22nd degree D♭ Lydian augmented3rd degree E♭ Lydian dominant4th degree F Mixolydian ♭65th degree G Locrian ♮26th degree A Altered7th degree

Every chord in B♭ Melodic minor

B♭m(maj7)1/6
mediumfret 1
Cm71/15
easyfret 3· shell
D♭maj7♯51/10
easyfret 9· shell
E♭71/20
easyfret 8· shell
F71/18
easyfret 1· shell
Gm7♭51/15
easyfret 3· shell
Am7♭51/12
easyfret 5· shell

Each chord stacks every other note of the scale (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th). Tap a row to hear it.

Iconic progressions in B♭ Melodic minor

A few well-known chord loops that bring out this scale’s sound. Play one through, or tap a chord to hear it.

i – IV
The minor-major tonic and a dominant IV7. The IV7 carries the natural 6th, which gives melodic minor its smooth, jazzy lift.
ii – V – i
A ii–V–i with a minor-major tonic. The i(maj7) holds the raised 7th, so the home chord still has a leading tone in it.
i – ♭III+ – IV
The augmented ♭III chord between i and IV. Its raised 5th is the 7th of the scale.

Sus and extension chords from each chord

From B♭m you can go through the 2nd of the scale to sus2 and 9 chords, through the 4th to sus4 and 11, and so on. All seven chords of B♭ Melodic minor.

Hover or focus a small bubble for what it is, click to keep the note open.

i B♭m(maj7)

Notes: B♭ D♭ F A

fret 1 · 1/4

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

ii Cm7

Notes: C E♭ G B♭

fret 8 · 1/10

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♭III+ D♭maj7♯5

Notes: D♭ F A C

fret 6 · 1/6

Closest shape: leaves out a colour note.

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

IV E♭7

Notes: E♭ G B♭ D♭

fret 1 · 1/11

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V F7

Notes: F A C E♭

fret 1 · 1/11

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vi° Gm7♭5

Notes: G B♭ D♭ F

fret 3 · 1/9

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

vii° Am7♭5

Notes: A C E♭ G

fret 5 · 1/9

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

Scale

Labels

Click

bpm

DroneE2

Drums

Bass

Colour key

R234p567

Each colour is a scale degree, counted from the key. A ♭ or ♯ note keeps its degree's colour: ♭3 is still amber.

B♭ Melodic minor

Natural 6th and 7th over a minor 3rd. Smooth, jazzy minor.

Where you hear it: Minor-major tonic: m(maj7).

Key signature 5♭ (B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭)as D♭ major / B♭ minor, plus G♮ A♮ written in

Step pattern W – H – W – W – W – W – H

Compared with B♭ major: ♭3 D → D♭
Compared with B♭ natural minor: ♯6 G♭ → G, ♯7 A♭ → A

Hover to compare

B♭ Melodic minor on the guitar

R234p567

Shapes

Extra notes

Pick a position below to outline it on the neck.

Modes with the same notes as B♭ Melodic minor

B♭ Melodic minor1st degree C Dorian ♭22nd degree D♭ Lydian augmented3rd degree E♭ Lydian dominant4th degree F Mixolydian ♭65th degree G Locrian ♮26th degree A Altered7th degree

Every chord in B♭ Melodic minor

B♭m(maj7)1/6
mediumfret 1
Cm71/15
easyfret 3· shell
D♭maj7♯51/10
easyfret 9· shell
E♭71/20
easyfret 8· shell
F71/18
easyfret 1· shell
Gm7♭51/15
easyfret 3· shell
Am7♭51/12
easyfret 5· shell

Each chord stacks every other note of the scale (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th). Tap a row to hear it.

Iconic progressions in B♭ Melodic minor

A few well-known chord loops that bring out this scale’s sound. Play one through, or tap a chord to hear it.

i – IV
The minor-major tonic and a dominant IV7. The IV7 carries the natural 6th, which gives melodic minor its smooth, jazzy lift.
ii – V – i
A ii–V–i with a minor-major tonic. The i(maj7) holds the raised 7th, so the home chord still has a leading tone in it.
i – ♭III+ – IV
The augmented ♭III chord between i and IV. Its raised 5th is the 7th of the scale.

Sus and extension chords from each chord

From B♭m you can go through the 2nd of the scale to sus2 and 9 chords, through the 4th to sus4 and 11, and so on. All seven chords of B♭ Melodic minor.

Hover or focus a small bubble for what it is, click to keep the note open.

i B♭m(maj7)

Notes: B♭ D♭ F A

fret 1 · 1/4

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

ii Cm7

Notes: C E♭ G B♭

fret 8 · 1/10

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭III+ D♭maj7♯5

Notes: D♭ F A C

fret 6 · 1/6

Closest shape: leaves out a colour note.

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

IV E♭7

Notes: E♭ G B♭ D♭

fret 1 · 1/11

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

V F7

Notes: F A C E♭

fret 1 · 1/11

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

vi° Gm7♭5

Notes: G B♭ D♭ F

fret 3 · 1/9

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

vii° Am7♭5

Notes: A C E♭ G

fret 5 · 1/9

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

Scales and modes

Colour key

B♭ Melodic minor

B♭ Melodic minor on the guitar

Modes with the same notes as B♭ Melodic minor

Every chord in B♭ Melodic minor

Iconic progressions in B♭ Melodic minor

i – IV

ii – V – i

i – ♭III+ – IV

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Scales and modes

Colour key

B♭ Melodic minor

B♭ Melodic minor on the guitar

Modes with the same notes as B♭ Melodic minor

Every chord in B♭ Melodic minor

Iconic progressions in B♭ Melodic minor

i – IV

ii – V – i

i – ♭III+ – IV

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour keyi

B♭ Melodic minor

B♭ Melodic minor on the guitari

Modes with the same notes as B♭ Melodic minor

Every chord in B♭ Melodic minor

Iconic progressions in B♭ Melodic minor

i – IV

ii – V – i

i – ♭III+ – IV

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour keyi

B♭ Melodic minor

B♭ Melodic minor on the guitari

Modes with the same notes as B♭ Melodic minor

Every chord in B♭ Melodic minor

Iconic progressions in B♭ Melodic minor

i – IV

ii – V – i

i – ♭III+ – IV

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour key

B♭ Melodic minor on the guitar

Colour key

B♭ Melodic minor on the guitar