E Melodic Minor Guitar Scale

6-string guitar  ·  7 notes  ·  minor family

Notes

E
F♯
G
A
B
C♯
D♯

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

Interval Structure

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

Scale Chords (triads)

DegreeChord (in E)Quality
i Em minor
ii F♯m minor
III+ G+ augmented
IV A Major
V B Major
vi° C♯° diminished
vii° D♯° 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 E Melodic Minor on guitar in the interactive app.

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Same scale in other keys