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<h1>Melodic Minor Scale</h1>
<p>Melodic minor raises both the sixth and seventh degrees of natural minor when ascending, then reverts to natural minor descending (in classical practice). The reasoning: harmonic minor's augmented second between ♭6 and raised 7 is difficult to sing in an ascending line, so raising the 6th too creates smooth stepwise motion. In jazz, only the ascending form is used in both directions — because its seven modes are among the most harmonically rich in all of music theory.</p>

<h2>Construction</h2>
<pre>
Classical form:
A melodic minor ascending:  A  B  C  D  E  F#  G#  A
A melodic minor descending: A  G  F  E  D  C   B   A   (= natural minor)

Jazz form (used in both directions):
A  B  C  D  E  F#  G#  A

Formula: 1  2  ♭3  4  5  6   7
= major scale with only the 3rd lowered
= "major scale with a minor 3rd"
</pre>

<h2>Melodic Minor in Common Keys</h2>

<table>
  <thead><tr><th>Key</th><th>Notes</th><th>Compared to major (same root)</th></tr></thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr><td>A melodic minor</td><td>A B C D E F# G#</td><td>A major with C♮ (♭3) instead of C#</td></tr>
    <tr><td>D melodic minor</td><td>D E F G A B C#</td><td>D major with F♮ (♭3) instead of F#</td></tr>
    <tr><td>G melodic minor</td><td>G A B♭ C D E F#</td><td>G major with B♭ (♭3) instead of B</td></tr>
    <tr><td>C melodic minor</td><td>C D E♭ F G A B</td><td>C major with E♭ (♭3) instead of E</td></tr>
    <tr><td>F melodic minor</td><td>F G A♭ B♭ C D E</td><td>F major with A♭ (♭3) instead of A</td></tr>
    <tr><td>B♭ melodic minor</td><td>B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G A</td><td>B♭ major with D♭ (♭3) instead of D</td></tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

<h2>The Seven Modes of Melodic Minor</h2>
<p>The modes of jazz melodic minor are among the most important scales in modern jazz harmony. Each has a specific harmonic application:</p>

<table>
  <thead><tr><th>Mode</th><th>Common name</th><th>Formula vs major</th><th>Used over</th></tr></thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr><td>1st</td><td>Jazz melodic minor / Jazz minor</td><td>♭3</td><td>Im(maj7), m6 chords</td></tr>
    <tr><td>2nd</td><td>Dorian ♭2 / Phrygian ♮6</td><td>♭2, ♭3, ♭7</td><td>Sus♭9 chords, dark minor</td></tr>
    <tr><td>3rd</td><td>Lydian augmented (Lydian #5)</td><td>#4, #5</td><td>maj7#5 chords</td></tr>
    <tr><td>4th</td><td>Lydian dominant</td><td>#4, ♭7</td><td>7#11 chords, tritone sub dominants</td></tr>
    <tr><td>5th</td><td>Mixolydian ♭6 / Hindu</td><td>♭6, ♭7</td><td>7♭13 chords</td></tr>
    <tr><td>6th</td><td>Locrian ♮2 / Half-diminished</td><td>♭2... no: ♮2, ♭3, ♭5, ♭6, ♭7</td><td>m7♭5 (half-diminished) chords</td></tr>
    <tr><td>7th</td><td>Altered / Super Locrian</td><td>♭2, ♭3, ♭4(=3), ♭5, ♭6, ♭7</td><td>7alt chords — all altered extensions</td></tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

<h3>The Most Important Modes</h3>
<pre>
Mode 4 (Lydian Dominant): 1 2 3 #4 5 6 ♭7
  = Mixolydian with raised 4th
  Best over 7#11 chords, tritone sub dominants, non-resolving dominants
  Example: C Lydian dominant (= G melodic minor from C) over C7#11

Mode 7 (Altered / Super Locrian): 1 ♭2 ♭3 3 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7
  = all extensions altered
  Best over 7alt chords resolving to tonic
  Example: G altered (= A♭ melodic minor from G) over G7alt→Cmaj7

Mode 6 (Locrian ♮2): 1 2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7
  = Locrian with natural 2nd
  Better than regular Locrian over m7♭5 — avoids the harshest tension
  Example: B Locrian ♮2 (= D melodic minor from B) over Bm7♭5
</pre>

<h2>Sound Over Im(maj7)</h2>
<p>The primary use of the 1st mode (jazz melodic minor itself) is over a minor chord with a major seventh — the Im(maj7) chord. In A minor, this is Am(maj7) = A C E G#. The raised seventh (G#) against the minor third (C) creates a distinctive, slightly searching quality — neither fully settled (like Dorian) nor completely tense (like harmonic minor). It's the bossa nova sound, the film noir sound, the introspective sound:</p>
<pre>
"What is this thing called love" — Im opening uses melodic minor colour
Bossa nova minor chords (ImM7) — melodic minor defines the sound
"Corcovado" (Jobim) — the floating, unresolved minor quality
</pre>

<h2>References</h2>
<ul>
  <li>Levine — <em>The Jazz Theory Book</em></li>
  <li>Bergonzi — <em>Inside Improvisation Series, Vol. 5 (Melodic Structures)</em></li>
  <li><a href="https://www.jazzguitar.be/blog/melodic-minor-scale/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">jazzguitar.be — Melodic Minor Scale ↗</a></li>
</ul>
