C Melodic minor scale: notes, chords and guitar positions

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.

C Melodic minor

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

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

Key signature 3♭ (B♭ E♭ A♭)as E♭ major / C minor, plus A♮ B♮ written in

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

Compared with C major: ♭3 E → E♭
Compared with C natural minor: ♯6 A♭ → A, ♯7 B♭ → B

Hover to compare

C 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 C Melodic minor

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

Every chord in C Melodic minor

Cm(maj7)1/6
mediumfret 3
Dm71/17
easyopen
E♭maj7♯51/10
easyfret 11· shell
F71/20
easyfret 1· shell
G71/20
easyopen
Am7♭51/15
easyfret 5· shell
Bm7♭51/12
easyfret 2· shell

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

Iconic progressions in C 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 Cm 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 C Melodic minor.

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

i Cm(maj7)

Notes: C E♭ G B

fret 3 · 1/4

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

ii Dm7

Notes: D F A C

open · 1/12

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♭III+ E♭maj7♯5

Notes: E♭ G B D

fret 8 · 1/6

Closest shape: leaves out a colour note.

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

IV F7

Notes: F A C E♭

fret 1 · 1/11

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

V G7

Notes: G B D F

open · 1/13

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vi° 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.

vii° Bm7♭5

Notes: B D F A

fret 2 · 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.

C Melodic minor

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

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

Key signature 3♭ (B♭ E♭ A♭)as E♭ major / C minor, plus A♮ B♮ written in

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

Compared with C major: ♭3 E → E♭
Compared with C natural minor: ♯6 A♭ → A, ♯7 B♭ → B

Hover to compare

C 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 C Melodic minor

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

Every chord in C Melodic minor

Cm(maj7)1/6
mediumfret 3
Dm71/17
easyopen
E♭maj7♯51/10
easyfret 11· shell
F71/20
easyfret 1· shell
G71/20
easyopen
Am7♭51/15
easyfret 5· shell
Bm7♭51/12
easyfret 2· shell

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

Iconic progressions in C 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 Cm 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 C Melodic minor.

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

i Cm(maj7)

Notes: C E♭ G B

fret 3 · 1/4

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

ii Dm7

Notes: D F A C

open · 1/12

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

♭III+ E♭maj7♯5

Notes: E♭ G B D

fret 8 · 1/6

Closest shape: leaves out a colour note.

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

IV F7

Notes: F A C E♭

fret 1 · 1/11

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

V G7

Notes: G B D F

open · 1/13

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

vi° 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.

vii° Bm7♭5

Notes: B D F A

fret 2 · 1/9

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

Scales and modes

Colour key

C Melodic minor

C Melodic minor on the guitar

Modes with the same notes as C Melodic minor

Every chord in C Melodic minor

Iconic progressions in C Melodic minor

i – IV

ii – V – i

i – ♭III+ – IV

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Scales and modes

Colour key

C Melodic minor

C Melodic minor on the guitar

Modes with the same notes as C Melodic minor

Every chord in C Melodic minor

Iconic progressions in C Melodic minor

i – IV

ii – V – i

i – ♭III+ – IV

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour keyi

C Melodic minor

C Melodic minor on the guitari

Modes with the same notes as C Melodic minor

Every chord in C Melodic minor

Iconic progressions in C Melodic minor

i – IV

ii – V – i

i – ♭III+ – IV

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour keyi

C Melodic minor

C Melodic minor on the guitari

Modes with the same notes as C Melodic minor

Every chord in C Melodic minor

Iconic progressions in C Melodic minor

i – IV

ii – V – i

i – ♭III+ – IV

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour key

C Melodic minor on the guitar

Colour key

C Melodic minor on the guitar