A melodic minor scale

2 sharps: F♯ G♯ · pattern W–H–W–W–W–W–H

A – B – C – D – E – F♯ – G♯

Step patternWHWWWWH

Chords in A melodic minor

iAm

iiBm

III+Caug

IVD

vi°F♯dim

vii°G♯dim

Scale degrees

Degree	Note	Name	Half steps from A
1	A	Tonic	0
2	B	Supertonic	2
3	C	Mediant	3
4	D	Subdominant	5
5	E	Dominant	7
6	F♯	Submediant	9
7	G♯	Leading tone	11

About this scale

Melodic minor raises the 6th and 7th (F♯ and G♯) to smooth out the leap in harmonic minor. Classical players use it ascending and return to natural minor descending; in jazz it’s used both ways and is the source of many modern chord colours.

Seventh chords in A melodic minor scale

i(maj7) Am(maj7)ii7 Bm7III+7 Cmaj7♯5IV7 D7V7 E7viø7 F♯m7♭5viiø7 G♯m7♭5

Other A scales

A major A natural minor A harmonic minor A major pentatonic A minor pentatonic A blues A Dorian A Mixolydian

Melodic minor scale in other keys

C C♯D E♭E F F♯G A♭B♭B

Questions

What are the notes of the A melodic minor scale?

A, B, C, D, E, F♯, G♯, and back to A.

How many sharps or flats are in A melodic minor scale?

2: F♯, G♯.

What is the step pattern of the melodic minor scale?

W–H–W–W–W–W–H, where W is a whole step (two keys) and H is a half step (the next key). Start that pattern on A to get this scale.