Free Tools Scales C Melodic Minor

C Melodic Minor Scale on Guitar

The C Melodic Minor scale contains C, D, E♭, F, G, A and B — 7 notes. Every position is marked across the whole fretboard below, labelled with note names and with interval numbers, and the tuning of each string can be changed.

  • Root
  • Major 2nd
  • Minor 3rd
  • Perfect 4th
  • Perfect 5th
  • Major 6th
  • Major 7th
C Melodic Minor — 7 notes
Degree 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7
Note C D E♭ F G A B
Interval Root Major 2nd Minor 3rd Perfect 4th Perfect 5th Major 6th Major 7th

Note names

C Melodic Minor scale fretboard diagram: every position of C, D, E♭, F, G, A and B across the guitar neck

Interval numbers

C Melodic Minor scale fretboard diagram labelled with interval numbers

Modes

Melodic Minor is not one of the seven major-scale modes.

Triads

i Cm
ii Dm
III+ E♭aug
IV F
V G
vi°
vii°

7th Chords

i CmMaj7
ii Dm7
III+ E♭maj7♯5
IV F7
V G7
viø Am7♭5
viiø Bm7♭5

Circle of fifths

Circle of fifths — C Melodic Minor fretonomy.com C G D A E B F# D♭ A♭ E♭ B♭ F

Smaller scales inside C Melodic Minor

Major Pentatonic F
Minor Pentatonic D
Dominant Pentatonic (Mixolydian Pentatonic) F G
Minor Sixth Pentatonic C D

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the C Melodic Minor scale?

C, D, E♭, F, G, A and B. That is 7 notes.

What is the interval pattern of the C Melodic Minor scale?

2-1-2-2-2-2-1, counting in semitones from the root: C to D is 2 semitones, D to E♭ is 1, E♭ to F is 2, F to G is 2, G to A is 2, A to B is 2 and B back up to C is 1.

Which chords go with the C Melodic Minor scale?

The triads built from its own notes: Cm, Dm, E♭aug, F, G, A° and B°. Those are the chords that will sound consonant over it.

Which smaller scales fit inside the C Melodic Minor scale?

F Major Pentatonic, D Minor Pentatonic, F Dominant Pentatonic (Mixolydian Pentatonic) and C Minor Sixth Pentatonic. Every note of those is also in the C Melodic Minor scale, so they can be played over it.

Practice this on your own guitar

Fretonomy listens to your instrument and drills triads, scales and chords.