Modes of Melodic Minor

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The natural minor scale has half steps between 2-3 and 5-6. It is the same as a major scale starting on the same note but with b3, b6, and b7 scale degrees.

It is also the same as the Aeolian mode or scale degree 6 to 6 of the relative major scale (the major scale containing the same notes but a different starting note than major).

The C natural minor scale is below:

The harmonic minor scale is a natural minor scale with a raised 7 scale degree (to retain a leading tone, a half-step between scale degrees 7 and 8, and to make the I-V-I progression convincing).

It is the same as the major scale on the same note but with a b3 and b6 scale degree. It has half steps between scale degrees 2-3, 5-6 and 7-8 and a W+H step interval between scale degrees 6-7. The W+H step interval is harder to sing.

The C harmonic minor is below.

Modes of Melodic Minor

Melodic minor scale

The melodic minor scale is a harmonic minor scale with a raised 6 scale degree (to fix the W+H step interval). It is like the major scale starting on the same note with a b3 scale degree. The bottom half sounds like natural minor and the top half sounds like major.

The descending melodic minor scale takes away all the alterations and is like the natural minor scale.

The C melodic minor scale is below:

Just as we can start a major scale on any note and get the Greek modes (e.g., dorian, phrygian, lydian), we can start the melodic minor scale on any note and get some new scales.

Starting on the first scale degree gives us the melodic minor scale above.

Dorian b2

Scale degrees 2 to 2 of a melodic minor scale.

Called Dorian b2 since it is a Dorian mode of the major scale with a b2 scale degree.

Transposed to start on C (with scale degrees compared to major and chord):

Lydian Augmented

Scale degrees b3 to b3 of a melodic minor scale.

It is called Lydian augmented since it has the #4 (from Lydian mode) and a #5 to create an augmented chord (C-E-G#).

Transposed to start on C (with scale degrees compared to major and chord):

Lydian Dominant

Scale degrees 4 to 4 of a melodic minor scale. This mode is one of the most common modes of the melodic minor scale.

It is called the Lydian dominant scale since this Lydian mode contains a dominant seventh chord in scale degree 1-3-5-b7.

Note: This scale can an also be thought of as a Mixolydian with #4.

Transposed to start on C (with scale degrees compared to major and chord):

Mixolydian b6

Scale degrees 5 to 5 of a melodic minor scale.

It is called Mixolydian b6 since it is a Mixolydian mode from the major scale (major scale with b7) with a b6 scale degree.

Transposed to start on C (with scale degrees compared to major and chord):

Locrian 2 or Half-diminished scale

Scale degrees 6 to 6 of a melodic minor scale.

This scale is known as the Locrian 2 since it is a Locrian scale with a natural 2.

It is called the Half-diminished scale since the chord contained in the scale is a half-diminished chord.

Transposed to start on C (with scale degrees compared to major and chord):

Altered scale

Scale degree 7 to 7 of the melodic minor scale.

This scale is known as the altered scale. It is called the altered scale since it is used with altered dominant chords (V+ = C-E-G#/Ab or V7b5 = C-E-Gb-Bb). The V7b5 is the chord most associated with this mode and so is shown below. Choose the notes (b9 or #9, b5 or #5) that best fits the melody and the context of the piece.

Transposed to start on C (with scale degrees compared to major and chord):

The designation for the above scale can be C7b5 or C alt (short for C altered scale).