The Melodic Minor Scale
In this series of articles we will be taking a look at the different sounds that you can build from any mode in the Melodic Minor scale, in particular the chords, scale, triad and arpeggio that go with each mode in the Melodic Minor scale system.
To start digging into learning and applying the different sounds that derive from the Melodic Minor scale, let’s take a look at the chords, scale, triad and arpeggio that are built from the parent mode, the Melodic Minor Scale itself.
The Melodic Minor Scale is one of the most commonly used scales when soloing in modern music, and it is usually one of the first scales we learn on the guitar when venturing beyond the pentatonic, blues and major scales scales that we usually start with on the instrument.
But, besides learning a fingering or two for this important scale, it is good to know the other melodic and harmonic devices that are built from the Melodic Minor Scale so that you can apply these to your practice routine, as well as build your theory chops so that you recognize when to use the Melodic Minor Scale in your soloing and song writing.
Here is a quick look at each device from the Melodic Minor Mode, with further details provided below to read further.
Click to view attachment
Melodic Minor Triad and Chords
To begin, there are two main chords that are built from any Melodic Minor Scale, the minor triad and the mMaj7 chord.
The minor triad is built from the Root, b3rd and 5th note of the Melodic Minor scale, and the mMaj7 chord is built by adding one note to that triad so that you have a root, b3rd, 5th and 7th in that chord construction.
Each of these items can be played as a whole, to produce the triad/chord, or they can be plucked one note at a time to produce arpeggiated versions, both of which you saw in the tab/notation example above.
So, in the key of C, the minor triad would be:
C Eb G or R b3 5 of the Melodic Minor Scale
And the mMaj7 chord in C would be:
C Eb G B or R b3 5 7
You can see an example of both of these in the notation and tab provided above.
Notice that the notes of the triad, C Eb and G, and the 1st, b3rd and 5th notes of the Melodic Minor Scale next to it, and that the notes of the CmMaj7 chord, C, Eb, G and B, and the 1st, b3rd, 5th and 7th note of the scale next to it.
This knowledge will help you learn to transpose these notes around the neck and into different keys as you learn to build different triads and four-note Melodic Minor-based chords in all 12 keys.
Further Reading
How to Play Minor Triads for Guitar
Sounds of the Ionian Mode
Theory Exercise
Write out the note for each minor triad and mMaj7 chord in all 12 keys.
Post your answers below and I will correct them and give you feedback if you are having any trouble writing out the notes of these triads and chords.
Melodic Minor Scale
The Melodic Minor Scale is built from the following interval structure:
Whole-Half-Whole-Whole-Whole-Whole-Half
In this pattern, whole equals a whole step (2 frets on the guitar) and half equals a half-step (1 fret on the guitar).
So, if you apply that formula to the key of C, as in the example above, you get the following notes.
C (W) D (H) Eb (W) F (W) G (W) A (W) B (H) C
Or, you will also see this scale written in numbers as such:
1 2 b3 4 5 6 7 1
Since the Ionian Mode, and the Melodic Minor Mode, are both the parent scales of the Major and Melodic Minor scale systems, they are also very closely related.
This means that you can think of the Melodic Minor Mode, in theory or on the guitar, as a Major Scale with a b3.
So, you can take any major scale fingering that you know, lower the 3rd note by 1 fret (half-step) and you have yourself a Melodic Minor Scale fingering.
More on that in future lessons, but for know just know that the major scale uses those numbers and is built with that group of Whole and Half-Steps.
Theory Exercise
Write out the notes of the Melodic Minor Scale, in all 12 keys.
Post your answers below and I will check them out and post feedback, as well as answer any questions you may have on this scale construction.
Learning the structures behind each mode that you are learning on the guitar can help shore up your theory knowledge, as well as make it easier for you to apply these modes to your solos and song writing as you learn to relate them to chords, triads and arpeggios.
If you have any questions or comments, post them below.