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Modes Of The Melodic Minor Scale

This guitar scale lesson is about the modes of the melodic minor scale. If this is the first you hear about modes, you'd better learn about the modes of the major scale first.

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All the modes on this page have the A root, so you can hear the difference between the scales.

1) A Melodic Minor

Aka: Jazz Minor Scale
Use: on min/maj chords

Notes	A B C D E F# G#
Scale Formula	1 2 b3 4 5 6 7

2) A Dorian b2

Use: on b9sus4 chords

Notes	A Bb C D E F# G
Scale Formula	1 b2 b3 4 5 6 b7

3) A Lydian #5

Aka: Lydian augmented scale
Use: on maj7#5 chords

Notes	A B C# D# E# F# G#
Scale Formula	1 2 3 #4 #5 6 7

4) A Lydian Dominant

Aka: Lydian b7, Overtone scale
Use: on 7(#11) chords, also see Tritone Chord Substitution

Notes	A B C# D# E F# G
Scale Formula	1 2 3 #4 5 6 b7

5) A Mixolydian b6

Aka: Mixolydian b13 scale, Hindu scale
Use: on dom7b13 chords

Notes	A B C# D E F G
Scale Formula	1 2 3 4 5 b6 b7

6) A Aeolian b5

Aka: Locrian #2 scale
Use: on m7b5 chords. Also see Half Diminished Chords

Notes	A B C D Eb F G
Scale Formula	1 2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7

7) A Altered Scale

Aka: Super Locrian scale, Locrian b4 scale, Diminished Wholetone
Use: on dominant chords with altered tensions, also see The Altered Scale

Notes	A Bb C Db Eb F G
Scale Formula	1 b2 b3 b4 b5 b6 b7

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