The A melodic minor scale is the most vocal and smooth of all the minor scales. It was developed specifically to make melodies flow more naturally — singers found that the augmented second in the harmonic minor scale was awkward to sing so composers raised both the 6th and 7th degrees to smooth the melodic line. The result is a scale that sounds minor at its root but brightens as it ascends creating a unique bittersweet quality unlike any other scale in music.

What is A Melodic Minor

The melodic minor scale raises both the 6th and 7th degrees compared to natural minor. A natural minor has F and G as its 6th and 7th. A melodic minor raises both to F# and G#. The result keeps the minor third (C natural) that gives it its minor quality while the raised 6th and 7th smooth out the melodic movement and remove the awkward augmented second of harmonic minor. Modern jazz uses the same notes going up and down — this is called the jazz melodic minor and is the version used in contemporary playing.

The Notes

A — B — C — D — E — F# — G# — A

Compare to A natural minor: A B C D E F G A
Compare to A harmonic minor: A B C D E F G# A

Melodic minor raises both the 6th (F to F#) and 7th (G to G#) compared to natural minor. It keeps the minor 3rd (C natural) which maintains the minor quality while everything from the 5th degree upward matches the major scale.

The Three Minor Scales Compared

A Natural Minor:  A  B  C  D  E  F   G   A
A Harmonic Minor: A  B  C  D  E  F   G#  A
A Melodic Minor:  A  B  C  D  E  F#  G#  A

Natural minor  — dark and flowing
Harmonic minor — exotic and dramatic (raised 7th only)
Melodic minor  — smooth and bittersweet (raised 6th AND 7th)

Open Position

The open position raises both F to F# and G to G# compared to natural minor open position. Two notes change. Everything else stays identical.

A Melodic Minor notes: A B C D E F# G#

Low E: 0=E  2=F#  4=G#
A string: 0=A(R)  2=B  3=C
D string: 0=D  2=E  4=F#? 
          D string: 0=D 1=Eb 2=E 3=F 4=F# yes
D string: 0=D  2=E  4=F#
G string: 1=G#  2=A(R)
B string: 0=B  1=C  3=D
e string: 0=E  2=F#  4=G#

Open Position (R = Root note A)

e |--0--2--4--|    E   F#  G#
B |--0--1--3--|    B   C   D
G |--1--2-----|    G#  A(R)
D |--0--2--4--|    D   E   F#
A |--0--2--3--|    A(R) B  C
E |--0--2--4--|    E   F#  G#

Fingers: Open=0  Index=1  Middle=2  Ring=3  Pinky=4

Compare this to A natural minor open position — F# replaces F (fret 2 instead of fret 1 on low E and high e strings) and G# replaces G (fret 4 instead of fret 3 and fret 1 on G string). Two notes change. Play from low E to high e and back down with alternate picking starting at 60 BPM.

5th Position

The 5th position raises both F to F# and G to G# compared to natural minor 5th position. The position becomes almost identical to A major — the only difference is C natural (minor 3rd) instead of C# (major 3rd).

A Melodic Minor notes: A B C D E F# G#

Low E: 5=A(R)  7=B  8=C
A string: 5=D  7=E
D string: 6=G#  7=A(R)
          D string: 6=G# yes
G string: 5=C  7=D
B string: 5=E  7=F#  8=G? 
          B string: 7=F# yes  8=G  9=G#
          G# is at fret 9 on B string
          So B string: 5=E  7=F#  (9=G# stretch)
e string: 5=A(R)  7=B  8=C

Hmm G# on B string at fret 9 is a stretch.
Also check: where else does G# appear?
G string: 8=Eb no. 
A string: 11=G# -- too far up
D string: 6=G# -- yes that is in position

5th Position (R = Root note A)

e |--5--7--8--|    A(R)  B   C
B |--5--7--9--|    E     F#  G#  <- G# stretch at fret 9
G |--5--7-----|    C     D
D |--6--7-----|    G#    A(R)
A |--5--7-----|    D     E
E |--5--7--8--|    A(R)  B   C

Fingers: Index=5  Ring=7  Pinky=8
         Stretch to fret 9 on B string for G#
         Middle=6 on D string for G#

The key differences from natural minor 5th position: F# at fret 7 on the B string (instead of F at fret 6) and G# at fret 9 on the B string (stretch) and fret 6 on the D string. The C natural at fret 8 on the low E and high e strings is what keeps this scale minor — that is the only note that differs from A major. Play from low E to high e and back down with alternate picking starting at 60 BPM.

Natural Minor vs Melodic Minor — Side by Side

A Natural Minor 5th position:
e |--5--7--8--|
B |--5--6--8--|   <- F natural at fret 6, G natural at fret 8
G |--5--7-----|
D |--5--7-----|
A |--5--7-----|
E |--5--7--8--|

A Melodic Minor 5th position:
e |--5--7--8--|
B |--5--7--9--|   <- F# at fret 7, G# at fret 9
G |--5--7-----|
D |--6--7-----|   <- G# added at fret 6
A |--5--7-----|
E |--5--7--8--|

Two notes raised on B string. G# added on D string.

How the Melodic Minor Sounds

• Smooth — no augmented second means no awkward jumps. Every step flows naturally into the next
• Bittersweet — minor at the bottom (minor third C) but major at the top (major 6th F# and major 7th G#). Dark foundation with a bright ceiling
• Sophisticated — used extensively in jazz where its modes are essential vocabulary
• Vocal — it was literally designed for singers. Playing it on guitar gives melodies a naturally singable quality

What Chords Work With A Melodic Minor

• Am — the home chord. The minor quality comes from the C natural
• Am — D major — the D major chord contains F# confirming the raised 6th
• Am — E major — the E major chord contains G# confirming the raised 7th
• Am — D — E — Am — the smoothest minor cadence using all three key melodic minor chords

Famous Uses of Melodic Minor

• Misty — Erroll Garner — the jazz standard uses melodic minor harmony throughout
• Autumn Leaves — Joseph Kosma — melodic minor passages appear throughout this essential jazz standard
• Classical violin concertos — Mozart Beethoven Brahms — melodic minor is the foundation of classical string writing
• Portrait of Tracy — Jaco Pastorius — melodic minor harmonics on bass guitar in one of the most beautiful pieces ever recorded

Practice Checklist

Work through every item. Master each one before moving to the next.

• ☐ Three minor scales comparison — play natural minor, harmonic minor and melodic minor open position back to back. Hear how each one differs emotionally. Repeat 5 times. Target: 5 minutes
• ☐ Open position up and down — low E to high e and back, alternate picking, metronome 60 BPM, 10 clean repetitions. Target: 5 minutes
• ☐ 5th position up and down — low E to high e and back, alternate picking, metronome 60 BPM, 10 clean repetitions. Target: 5 minutes
• ☐ Connect open to 5th position — play up through open position then continue into 5th position without stopping, come back down through both. Target: 5 minutes
• ☐ Classical version ascending and descending — go up with raised 6th and 7th (melodic minor), come down with natural minor, feel the bittersweet shift. Target: 5 minutes
• ☐ Am backing track improvisation — find an Am backing track, improvise with A melodic minor, emphasise the F# and G# going up and notice how they brighten the minor sound. Target: 8 minutes
• ☐ Smooth phrase construction — build phrases that ascend using melodic minor and descend using natural minor, repeat 10 times. Target: 5 minutes
• ☐ Active listening — listen to Autumn Leaves in any jazz recording, identify the smooth minor melodic lines, notice how they flow without the awkward jumps of harmonic minor. Target: 5 minutes

What to Learn Next

• ✅ A Locrian — the final mode. Most unstable and dissonant
• ✅ Chord Library — every chord shape you need across all styles
• ✅ Tab Library — curated best riffs and solos
• ✅ Lydian Dominant — the most used melodic minor mode in jazz
• ✅ Altered Scale — the essential jazz dominant scale