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Scales

C melodic minor scale

The C melodic minor scale notes: C – D – E♭ – F – G – A – B. Minor with a raised 6th and 7th on the way up. Traditionally it comes down as natural minor; in jazz it's played the same both ways.

Notes and steps

C1D2E♭♭3F4G5A6B7

Steps: W – H – W – W – W – W – H · W = whole step, H = half step

C melodic minor scale on guitar

Standard tuning, frets 0–12. Filled circles are the root.

C melodic minor scale on the guitar fretboardFGABCDE♭ABCDE♭FGADE♭FGABCDGABCDE♭FGBCDE♭FGABFGABCDE♭357912

C melodic minor scale on piano

C melodic minor scale on the piano keyboardCDFGABCDFGABE♭E♭

Chords in this scale

Other scales from C

The same scale from other notes

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the C melodic minor scale?

C, D, E♭, F, G, A, B. Step formula: W–H–W–W–W–W–H (W = whole step, H = half step).

How do I practise it on guitar?

Every circle on the fretboard is a note of the scale up to fret 12; the filled circles mark the root (C). Start in one position (within 4–5 frets), root to root, slowly, with a metronome.

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Photos: Isak Photography, 42 North, Rachel Loughman, Vitaly Gariev, Vitaly Gariev, Isaac Martin / Unsplash