D♭ 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.

D♭ 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 F♭ written in

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

Compared with D♭ major: ♭3 F → F♭
Compared with D♭ natural minor: ♯6 B♭♭ → B♭, ♯7 C♭ → C

Hover to compare

D♭ 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 D♭ Melodic minor

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

Every chord in D♭ Melodic minor

D♭m(maj7)1/6
mediumfret 4
E♭m71/15
easyfret 6· shell
F♭maj7♯51/10
easyfret 12· shell
G♭71/20
easyfret 2· shell
A♭71/18
easyfret 1· shell
B♭m7♭51/15
easyfret 1· shell
Cm7♭51/12
easyfret 3· shell

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

Iconic progressions in D♭ 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 D♭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 D♭ Melodic minor.

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

i D♭m(maj7)

Notes: D♭ F♭ A♭ C

fret 4 · 1/4

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

ii E♭m7

Notes: E♭ G♭ B♭ D♭

fret 11 · 1/10

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

♭III+ F♭maj7♯5

Notes: F♭ A♭ C E♭

fret 9 · 1/6

Closest shape: leaves out a colour note.

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

IV G♭7

Notes: G♭ B♭ D♭ F♭

fret 2 · 1/11

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

V A♭7

Notes: A♭ C E♭ G♭

fret 4 · 1/11

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

vi° B♭m7♭5

Notes: B♭ D♭ F♭ A♭

fret 1 · 1/9

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

vii° Cm7♭5

Notes: C E♭ G♭ B♭

fret 3 · 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.

D♭ 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 F♭ written in

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

Compared with D♭ major: ♭3 F → F♭
Compared with D♭ natural minor: ♯6 B♭♭ → B♭, ♯7 C♭ → C

Hover to compare

D♭ 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 D♭ Melodic minor

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

Every chord in D♭ Melodic minor

D♭m(maj7)1/6
mediumfret 4
E♭m71/15
easyfret 6· shell
F♭maj7♯51/10
easyfret 12· shell
G♭71/20
easyfret 2· shell
A♭71/18
easyfret 1· shell
B♭m7♭51/15
easyfret 1· shell
Cm7♭51/12
easyfret 3· shell

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

Iconic progressions in D♭ 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 D♭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 D♭ Melodic minor.

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

i D♭m(maj7)

Notes: D♭ F♭ A♭ C

fret 4 · 1/4

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

ii E♭m7

Notes: E♭ G♭ B♭ D♭

fret 11 · 1/10

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

♭III+ F♭maj7♯5

Notes: F♭ A♭ C E♭

fret 9 · 1/6

Closest shape: leaves out a colour note.

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

IV G♭7

Notes: G♭ B♭ D♭ F♭

fret 2 · 1/11

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

V A♭7

Notes: A♭ C E♭ G♭

fret 4 · 1/11

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

vi° B♭m7♭5

Notes: B♭ D♭ F♭ A♭

fret 1 · 1/9

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

vii° Cm7♭5

Notes: C E♭ G♭ B♭

fret 3 · 1/9

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

Scales and modes

Colour key

D♭ Melodic minor

D♭ Melodic minor on the guitar

Modes with the same notes as D♭ Melodic minor

Every chord in D♭ Melodic minor

Iconic progressions in D♭ Melodic minor

i – IV

ii – V – i

i – ♭III+ – IV

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Scales and modes

Colour key

D♭ Melodic minor

D♭ Melodic minor on the guitar

Modes with the same notes as D♭ Melodic minor

Every chord in D♭ Melodic minor

Iconic progressions in D♭ Melodic minor

i – IV

ii – V – i

i – ♭III+ – IV

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour keyi

D♭ Melodic minor

D♭ Melodic minor on the guitari

Modes with the same notes as D♭ Melodic minor

Every chord in D♭ Melodic minor

Iconic progressions in D♭ Melodic minor

i – IV

ii – V – i

i – ♭III+ – IV

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour keyi

D♭ Melodic minor

D♭ Melodic minor on the guitari

Modes with the same notes as D♭ Melodic minor

Every chord in D♭ Melodic minor

Iconic progressions in D♭ Melodic minor

i – IV

ii – V – i

i – ♭III+ – IV

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour key

D♭ Melodic minor on the guitar

Colour key

D♭ Melodic minor on the guitar