E melodic minor scale on piano

The melodic minor scale raises the 6th and 7th degrees of the natural minor. In jazz it is used as is, ascending and descending.

On the keyboard

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Numbers above the keys are the scale degrees; the root is filled.

Notes of the scale

DegreeNoteInterval
1Eroot
2F♯ (F sharp)major second
3Gminor third
4Aperfect fourth
5Bperfect fifth
6C♯ (C sharp)major sixth
7D♯ (D sharp)major seventh

Steps between notes: W – H – W – W – W – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step)

A variant of the E natural minor scale.

Chords of the scale

Triads built on each degree:

  1. Emi
  2. F♯mii
  3. GaugIII+
  4. AIV
  5. BV
  6. C♯dimvi°
  7. D♯dimvii°

Other E scales

The same scale in other keys