C# Melodic Minor Guitar Scale

6-string guitar  ·  7 notes  ·  minor family

Notes

C♯
D♯
E
F♯
G♯
A♯
B♯

Solfège : Do♯ – Ré♯ – Mi – Fa♯ – Sol♯ – La♯ – Si♯

Interval Structure

C♯ T D♯ ½T E T F♯ T G♯ T A♯ T B♯ C♯+oct. ½T

Scale Chords (triads)

DegreeChord (in C#)Quality
i C♯m minor
ii D♯m minor
III+ E+ augmented
IV F♯ Major
V G♯ Major
vi° A♯° diminished
vii° B♯° diminished

About this scale

The melodic minor scale (ascending form) is essential in jazz guitar. It generates the altered, Lydian dominant, and Locrian #2 scales through simple rotation. Joe Pass, Pat Metheny, Mike Stern — all exploit its colors on minor ii-V-I progressions. Its natural 6th and 7th degrees allow very fluid melodic lines over minMaj7 chords.

See fretboard positions for C# Melodic Minor on guitar in the interactive app.

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Same scale in other keys