Harmonic And Melodic Minor Scales

In the lesson you will learn about the Harmonic minor, and Melodic minor scales. You will learn how to create them, and how to use them. You will need an understanding of the major scale and the minor scale to understand this lesson.

Harmonic Minor.
The formula for the Harmonic minor scale is:

1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7

For example, take C major scale (C D E F G A B C) and apply the harmonic minor formula to it:

C major:   C D E F G A B C
Intervals: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1

C Harmonic Minor: C D Eb F G Ab B C
Intervals:        1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7 1

So C harmonic minor would look like this:

|-----------------|----------------------|
|---------------1-|----------------------|
|---------0-1-4---|----------------------|
|---0-1-3---------|-----------------9-10-|
|-3---------------|---------8-10-11------|
|-----------------|-8-10-11--------------|

This formula applies to all major scales. A, for example:

A major:   A B C# D E F# G# A
Intervals: 1 2 3  4 5 6  7  1

A Harmonic Minor: A B C  D E F  G# A 
Intervals:        1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7  1

A harmonic minor looks like this:

|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|
|-------------1-2-|-----------------|
|-------0-2-3-----|-------------6-7-|
|-0-2-3-----------|-------5-7-8-----|
|-----------------|-5-7-8-----------|

The harmonic minor is very close to the natual minor scale. The only thing that sets it apart, is its major seventh. With a raised seventh, this takes away possibilities of playing the scale over dominant 7, and m7 chords. The lowered third takes away the possibility of playing it over major chords and maj7 chords. That doesn'y mean that you can't play it over those chords. Be creative.

The only chord you can play this scale over without it sound notes from the scale clashing with chords tones, is a minor chord. You can experiment with playing it over m7, m6 and other minor chords, but you might have some bad notes. You can play harmonic minor is styles such as classical, metal, shred (think Yngwie Malmsteen), and neo-classical styles.

Melodic Minor.
Melodic minor is very close to the major scale, the only thing that seperates it is the flat third (b3). So, the formula for Melodic Minor is:

1 2 b3 4 5 6 7

Lets use C for the first example again.

C major:   C D E F G A B C
Intervals: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1

C Melodic Minor: C D Eb F G A B C
Intervals:       1 2 b3 4 5 6 7 1

C Melodic Minor looks like this:

|-----------------|----------------------|
|-------------0-1-|----------------------|
|---------0-2-----|----------------------|
|---0-1-3---------|-----------------9-10-|
|-3---------------|---------8-10-12------|
|-----------------|-8-10-11--------------|

That formula is also universal. Lets apply it to E.

E major:   E F# G# A B C# D# E
Intervals: 1 2  3  4 5 6  7  1

E Melodic Minor: E F# G  A B C# D# E
Intervals:       1 2  b3 4 5 6  7  1

E Melodic Minor looks like this:

|-----------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|---------------8-9-|
|-------------1-2-|--------7-9-11-----|
|-------0-2-4-----|-7-9-10------------|
|-0-2-3-----------|-------------------|

You can use the Melodic Minor scale over chords where you would play another minor scale or pentatonic scale. You can play melodic minor over minor chords, m6 chords, and m/maj7 chords. But, since the melodic minor scale is so close to the major scale, you could play it in the place of major scale, major pentatonic, Lydian mode and Mixolydian modes. The melodic minor scale does not sound perfect over everything because of its flat third (b3) and natural 7 (7). If the seventh was lowered, it would be Dorian Mode. See lesson on modes: (insert link to mode lesson when on site). Melodic minor is used to solo in style such as jazz and funk. The Melodic minor scale is especially good for Jazz styles because it is so close to Dorian Mode (Dorian is as important to Jazz as is the pentatonic is to Rock). It is good for funk because of its Major scale feel, and minor scale sound.

Melodic Minor (descending).
The second part to the Melodic minor scale. You have already learned the Melodic Minor Scale (Ascending), and now its time for Descending.

The formula for Melodic minor (Descending) is the same as natural minor (1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 1). The point of this second scale is to act as a leading tone, just going down. In the next two examples, I will will show you how to practice these scales at the same time, and an example lick using both ascending and descending scales.

How to play these when practicing

|----Ascending----|----Descending-----|
|-----------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|
|-------------1-2-|-(2)-0-------------|
|-------0-2-4-----|-------3-2-0-------|
|-0-2-3-----------|-------------3-2-0-|

Using both in a short lick

|---------Descending-------|----------Ascending----------|
|-12b14--------------------|-----------------------------|
|--------15-12-------------|-------------16--------------|
|--------------14-12-------|-------16-18-----18-16-------|
|--------------------14----|-14s16-----------------16s13-|
|--------------------------|-----------------------------|
|--------------------------|-----------------------------|

|--------------------------|
|--------------------------|
|--------------12b14-------|
|-----13h16p13--------14---|
|-16-----------------------|
|--------------------------|

Start practicing these scales, and they will be second nature in no time. You can use these scales over minor chords, in place of other minor scales or you could find you own way to make these scales sound good.

Comments

[trashmaniac]

wow...1st!! i always waiting for this moment Anyway, nice lesson dude,at least for me. i don't know that there is another minor beside natural minor. i wonder if there is major, dominant, dimished, augmented, sus2 or sus4 in natural and melodic.

[slash_pwns]

i wonder if there is major, dominant, dimished, augmented, sus2 or sus4 in natural and melodic.

As in sus2 minor, sus4 minor etc?

I dont think so.

[ooblah]

Hey, cool lesson man, thanks.

[slashs_snakepit]

Great lesson ... helped a lot

[shock74]

thanks man good lesson

[kdo]

weird...why does the melodic minor change when it decends...

The b7 and b6 lead downward, while the natural 6 and 7 lead upwards.

Generally you'll just play the ascending version both ways.

i wonder if there is major, dominant, dimished, augmented, sus2 or sus4 in natural and melodic.

To keep this short, we'll stick to the melodic minor and natural minor scales alone, not their modes.
Neither scale can produce a major chord.
Since neither scale has a major triad, they can't produce a dominant chord.
Diminished is out, no b5's.
No major 3rds, no augmented chords.
sus2 can be formed by either scale, as can sus4. 7sus4 can be formed by the natural minor scale also.

Again, if you use the various modes of those scales, you can produce the requested chords, but that's kind of another lesson?

-SD

[Rocker3829]

y'all dont forget descending melodic minor is just the natural minor

[god4bids2005]

that ***in rock dude thanks

[self-made_page]

to the writer - it'd be great if you could edit this (idk if you can) and put in the second octave: I bet solos using only the bottom 3 strings are rather uncommon. but thanks for the article. roXXorz

[slash_pwns]

^I thoguht about that but my method of teaching (if you could call it that) is to give the knowledge to do it your self.

Just find the notes on the neck, and go from there. If you need help just dorp me a PM.

[HaraldLangner]

cool lesson - go on

[callumrc]

i don't understand :o

[Mike_uk2k]

anyone know what kind of scales yngwie malmsteen uses? my guitar teacher told me they're probably harmonic and melodic minors, but i just can't get them to sound... 'right', if you know what i mean.

[jboy_16]

it helps.....

[HardMan]

yeah dude! it`s cool!

[AXE545]

I was hoping for all 7 modes....

[slash_pwns]

Does it say "Harmonic and Melodic Minor Scales & Their modes"?

No. It doesn't. Thanks for rating it on something it's not... Dick.

[robelie]

hehehe sorry but i didnt understand it, =( hey do you know the minor scales?

[Steve Guitar]

kdo wrote:

weird...why does the melodic minor change when it decends...

I don't know the history and math of it and all of that but think about it when notes rise it is more sharp and when they fall they go flat, kinda like sex

[metallica100]

it this what kirk hammet uses mostly ?????

[Floyal]

Dude the scales are messed up !

[WageSlave]

good lesson, dose anyone know how the harmonic minor would be figured in like whwwhww or if its even possibal. and another question was this lesson all done in the key of C.

[draezar]

i really like using that melodic scale. Sounds pretty cool when creating licks

[FRANCIS777]

Good work. What you just teach is true spescially about malmsteen using harmonic minor scale. ill try to use melodic 2.

[sethp]

i was understanding everything up until the ascending and descending part. now i am entirely lost. are you refering to the exact same scale (e.g. C melodic minor)? does the melodic minor scale stretch into the 9th dimension of space/time? do major scales do this? how does one know which to use when improvising? cuz sometimes you're going all over the place, not just in continuous, linear progression.

[lamb-of-god-666]

Floyal wrote:

Dude the scales are messed up !

Ya man what the **** is up with your scales.

[lamb-of-god-666]

It's an alright lesson for beginners.

[the_bear_shark]

sethp :
i was understanding everything up until the ascending and descending part. now i am entirely lost. are you refering to the exact same scale (e.g. C melodic minor)? does the melodic minor scale stretch into the 9th dimension of space/time? do major scales do this? how does one know which to use when improvising? cuz sometimes you're going all over the place, not just in continuous, linear progression.

i believe it is the same scale. i know of 2 melodic minor scales, Jazz and Classical. classical and jazz are the same ascending, but upon descendning, in the classical (used in this article) simply has 2 more flats. Same, scale, but 2 more flats, when DESCENDING, in the jazz melodic minor, you can play the same notes descending that you do when ascending. So if ur improvising maybe a jazz melodic minor would be easier for u, but if just creating a melody possibly classical melodic minor? hope that helped.

[Jerry!]

in the melodic minor it changes to a minor scale going back down.

[Silky Smooth]

Mike_uk2k wrote:

anyone know what kind of scales yngwie malmsteen uses? my guitar teacher told me they're probably harmonic and melodic minors, but i just can't get them to sound... 'right', if you know what i mean.

Hes uses the harmonic minor scale, natural minor and phrygian major scale the most in his playing.

[sock_demon]

I've always wanted to use harm. minor in a song, now I can

[WarlockSlinger]

wageslave, from the root note, being the first note, it goes like this:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (8)
w 1/2 w w 1/2 1.5 then 1/2 step to root

[brutaltxdm]

ah harmonic minor.. the sweetest sound you can make from your guitar. good job bro. \m/

[george1345]

i was taught the harmonic (i think) like this..well basically the one in i think A is : E-5,7 A-3,5,7 D- 3,6,7 G-4,5,7,9 B-6,9,10 e-7,8,10 I'm confused

[julieramone]

this really helped, thanks a lot

[MetalheadMark]

Great lesson, just what I needed!

[slash&angus]

I think i better don't raed theory and i shall find it out on my own

[explorer58]

this is a great lesson. but an easier way of finding the harmonic minor rather than flattening 3 and 6 of the major is to sharpen 7 of the minor. still this really helped. 2 thumbs up.

[gelcap]

Hmm...a couple of

[gelcap]

...gray areas. First: "With a raised seventh, this takes away possibilities of playing the scale over dominant 7" Untrue...the whole point of the harmonic minor is to accommodate for the V7 chord, which, if we take G7 (the notes G-B-D-F), fits perfectly into C Harmonic Minor (C-D-Eb-F-G-Ab-B-C.

[gelcap]

Second: "The only chord you can play this scale over without it sound notes from the scale clashing with chords tones, is a minor chord. You can experiment with playing it over m7, m6 and other minor chords, but you might have some bad notes. You can play harmonic minor is styles such as classical, metal, shred (think Yngwie Malmsteen), and neo-classical styles." Wow. I don't even know where to begin here. Literally every sentence is flawed. I can go into more detail but I'm really not a fan of tearing people down that clearly aren't sure what they are talking about. You might want to go back to music school buddy. Not just for your benefit, but for every potential new musician that comes across this board. I apologize if this comes off as rude.

[gelcap]

I also forgot: "With a raised seventh, this takes away possibilities of playing the scale over...m7 chords." The iv7 chord in C Harmonic Minor: Fm7(F-Ab-C-Eb). Study, study, study....

[Aikoj]

Thank you, I've spent years studying music theory (school, college, and such), yet I never remembered these two, and I forgot to bring it up to my teacher.
Thank you, this is a very thorough and helpful lesson.
I really appreciate it .

[kevinbeingkevin]

Do the Harmonic and Melodic Minor Scales have different modes to them to like Dorian, Phrygian, etc. ?

[BloodNChunks]

Now I already knew all about scales and modes and stuff, so not at all knocking this: Seems many have learned a good bit from this. But really I just came here to check out how the Harmonic Minor scale goes because I never really saw it before =P

kevinbeingkevin wrote:

Do the Harmonic and Melodic Minor Scales have different modes to them to like Dorian, Phrygian, etc. ?

Well, you can always take a scale up from one of the scale degrees of another scale. That's basically what those modes you named do, but to the major scale. So basically just do the same to these and you could have some "different modes to them" as you say.

[BloodNChunks]

And a word of advice: Try the Locrian scale sometime. Very interesting indeed...I haven't played around with it but it seems like it might make a really cool (serious and a little edgy) acoustic piece.

[whm119]

A little clarification on the melodic minor ascending vs. descending: when you are playing the scale, the direction from one note to the next determines whether you use the ascending or descending notes.
Example: Playing this series of notes, in any minor key. 1 b3 2 4 2 5 6 1(octave above) This is where you use the ascending pattern. (high)4 2 1 b6 5 b3 2 1(low) This is when you use the descending pattern.
This one is tricky: 1 b3 5 7 b6 7 4 6 1(octave up) b7 b6 7 It is a combination of ascending and descending. When you go from 7 down to b6, use descending; then when you get to 4 6 1(octave), you use ascending.
For more examples, listen to music from the Baroque period like Johann Sebastian Bach.

[truemetal]

Great refresher lesson, I couldn't remember the patterns, thanks!

[sammo_boi]

the harmonic minor scale does have different modes like the major scale. i think the fourth mode is called phrygian dominant, so if change the formula of whole, half, whole, whole, half, 1 and a half, half, and start at a different point, different modes will be the result.

[MotMandre]

Poor explanation as to what you can and can't play Harmonic minor over. You make it sound like there are no minor7 Major7 or Dominant7 chords in the scale.