E Melodic Minor at a glance
Melodic minor is huge in jazz improvisation and modern classical writing. The raised sixth and seventh smooth out natural minor and open up tons of modal options. Built on the root E, the scale takes on the specific colour and pitch range of that key - making it especially useful in genres and registers where E is a comfortable tonal centre.
| Notes | E F♯ G A B C♯ D♯ |
|---|---|
| Formula | 1P · 2M · 3m · 4P · 5P · 6M · 7M |
| Step pattern | W H W W W W H |
| Chords in the key | EmF♯mG+ABC♯°D♯° |
Chords in the E Melodic Minor scale
These are the chords that naturally form on each degree of the scale. Click a chord to open its dedicated page.
E Melodic Minor on the piano
Improvisation drone · E
Loop the root note as a pad to practice improvising over this scale.
On the piano E Melodic Minor uses three black keys (F♯, C♯ and D♯) and four white.
E · F♯ · G · A · B · C♯ · D♯
Try E Melodic Minor on the virtual piano
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E Melodic Minor on the guitar
E Melodic Minor - fr 0–12
E Melodic Minor on the staff
Notes of the E Melodic Minor scale
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | unison1P | 0 | |
| 2 | F♯ | major 2nd2M | 2 | |
| 3 | G | minor 3rd3m | 3 | |
| 4 | A | perfect 4th4P | 5 | |
| 5 | B | perfect 5th5P | 7 | |
| 6 | C♯ | major 6th6M | 9 | |
| 7 | D♯ | major 7th7M | 11 |
What makes E Melodic Minor different
Melodic minor, as jazz uses it and as it's shown here, is natural minor with both the sixth and the seventh raised, which leaves a major scale with only the third lowered. Raising the sixth as well as the seventh closes the augmented second of harmonic minor, so the line moves smoothly. The IV and V chords are both major, so the top half sounds like major while the bottom half stays minor. Its modes include Lydian Dominant and the Altered scale, which is why jazz treats it as a parent scale of its own. On E, E Melodic Minor has C♯ where E Natural Minor has C and D♯ where E Natural Minor has D; every other note is shared with E Natural Minor (E F♯ G A B C D).
How to use the E Melodic Minor scale
The diatonic chords of E Melodic Minor are: i = Em, ii = F♯m, III+ = G+, IV = A, V = B, vi° = C♯°, vii° = D♯°. These seven chords belong naturally to the key and are the safest harmonic vocabulary when writing songs in E Melodic Minor. Each one in the chord table on this page opens its own diagram and progressions.
Melodic minor is huge in jazz improvisation and modern classical writing. The raised sixth and seventh smooth out natural minor and open up tons of modal options.
Practice tips
Learn the ascending melodic minor (with raised sixth and seventh) and use it both ways for jazz. Most jazz players use the whole melodic minor scale uniformly in both directions anyway.
Formula & step pattern
The E Melodic Minor scale follows the natural minor pattern with raised sixth and seventh degrees on the way up. Step pattern: W - H - W - W - W - W - H. Intervals from the root: 1P · 2M · 3m · 4P · 5P · 6M · 7M. Memorising the formula lets you transpose the scale to any other root note quickly.
Where you will hear E Melodic Minor
Start with the music described above: listen for E Melodic Minor in it and transcribe a few short phrases by ear. It's the quickest way to learn how the scale sounds.
Questions people ask
What notes are in the E Melodic Minor scale?
The E Melodic Minor scale contains E, F♯, G, A, B, C♯ and D♯.
What is the formula for the E Melodic Minor scale?
E Melodic Minor follows the natural minor pattern with raised sixth and seventh degrees on the way up.
Is E Melodic Minor a major or minor scale?
E Melodic Minor is a melodic minor scale. Smooth ascending minor with raised sixth and seventh - central to jazz.
What chords belong to the E Melodic Minor scale?
The diatonic chords of E Melodic Minor are Em, F♯m, G+, A, B, C♯°, D♯°.
Which genres use E Melodic Minor?
Melodic minor is huge in jazz improvisation and modern classical writing. The raised sixth and seventh smooth out natural minor and open up tons of modal options.
How do you play the E Melodic Minor scale on the piano?
On the piano E Melodic Minor uses three black keys (F♯, C♯ and D♯) and four white.
What is the difference between E Melodic Minor and E Natural Minor?
On E, E Melodic Minor has C♯ where E Natural Minor has C and D♯ where E Natural Minor has D; every other note is shared with E Natural Minor (E F♯ G A B C D).
How do I practise the E Melodic Minor scale?
Learn the ascending melodic minor (with raised sixth and seventh) and use it both ways for jazz. Most jazz players use the whole melodic minor scale uniformly in both directions anyway.