# The melodic minor scale

*Module 6 · Lesson 5: Minor scales · BazzLow*

> Know the melodic minor in its classical and jazz forms.

Before this lesson: [6.4 The harmonic minor scale](https://bazzlow.com/en/minor-scales/harmonic-minor-scale/)

The harmonic minor has a leap in it. The melodic minor smooths that leap away by raising one more note.

## Raising the 6th and the 7th

The **melodic minor** raises both the 6th and the 7th: **1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7**. This keeps the leading tone and removes the augmented 2nd. It is the major scale with a ♭3. The scale is still minor, because its 3rd is minor.

*The three minor scales on A. The notes that differ from the natural minor are in bold.*

| Scale | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Natural | A | B | C | D | E | F | G |
| Harmonic | A | B | C | D | E | F | **G♯** |
| Melodic (up) | A | B | C | D | E | **F♯** | **G♯** |

## Classical and jazz

- **Classical** use: the raised 6th and 7th are used **going up**. Going down, the natural minor is used (♭7, ♭6).
- **Jazz** use, also called the **jazz minor**: the same raised form **both up and down**. In jazz it is also the source of several modes and chord scales (an overview only in this course).

More examples of the raised form going up: A melodic minor is A B C D E F♯ G♯; G melodic minor is G A B♭ C D E F♯.

> **Diagram:** A melodic minor going up, root at fret 5 on the E string: A B C (frets 5, 7, 8) | D E F♯ on the A string (frets 5, 7, 9) | G♯ and A on the D string (frets 6, 7).

> **Diagram:** The classical form going down is the natural minor: A on the D string (fret 7), then G (fret 5), F E D on the A string (frets 8, 7, 5), and so on down.

## Try it

Play A melodic minor up and natural minor down. Then play the jazz form both ways and compare.

## New terms

- melodic minor scale
- jazz minor

Page: https://bazzlow.com/en/minor-scales/melodic-minor-scale/