E Melodic Minor Scale: Notes, Chords, and How to Play It

The E melodic minor scale is a natural fit for guitarists, since E is the lowest open string and one of the most comfortable keys on the instrument. With four sharps (F#, G#, C#, D#), this scale transforms the familiar E natural minor into something smoother and more sophisticated — a favourite in jazz, fusion, and film scoring.

What Makes the Melodic Minor Different?

The melodic minor scale can be thought of as a major scale with a flattened third — or, equivalently, a natural minor scale with its sixth and seventh degrees raised. This dual identity gives it a unique character: minor enough for emotional depth, but with the strong leading tone and smooth voice leading that natural minor lacks.

For a full comparison of all three minor scale types, see Minor Scales: Natural, Harmonic, and Melodic.

Notes of the E Melodic Minor Scale

The E melodic minor scale contains seven notes:

E – F# – G – A – B – C# – D#

Starting from E, the scale follows the melodic minor interval pattern — W – H – W – W – W – W – H — and arrives back at E one octave higher. Compared to E natural minor (E–F#–G–A–B–C–D), the sixth and seventh degrees are raised: C becomes C# and D becomes D#.

The half steps fall between F#–G (degrees 2–3) and D#–E (degrees 7–8). The only difference from E major (E–F#–G#–A–B–C#–D#) is the flattened third: G instead of G#. This is why the melodic minor is often described as “a major scale with a flat three.”

Classical vs Jazz Usage

In classical theory, the melodic minor descends differently — reverting to the natural minor form:

• Ascending: E – F# – G – A – B – C# – D# – E
• Descending: E – D – C – B – A – G – F# – E

In jazz and contemporary music, the ascending form is used in both directions. This article focuses on the ascending (jazz) form, which is the version used in the Interactive Chord Finder.

E Melodic Minor on Piano

On the piano, E melodic minor uses four black keys (F#, C#, D#, and the optional G# is absent — G is natural). The pattern begins on the white key E, moves to the black key F#, then steps to the white key G, continuing through A and B (white keys), then C# and D# (black keys) before returning to E.

Right hand fingering (ascending): 1 – 2 – 3 – 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 (thumb crosses under after G, then fingers walk up to E)

Left hand fingering (ascending): 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 – 3 – 2 – 1 (after the thumb plays B, the third finger crosses over to C#)

The two black keys at the top of the scale (C# and D#) sit next to each other, making the upper portion feel natural under the hand.

E Melodic Minor on Guitar

On guitar, E melodic minor benefits from the open low E string as the root. The open position uses a mix of open strings and fretted notes.

Open position (low to high):

This pattern covers one octave from the open 6th string to E on the 4th string. The stretch to the 4th fret for C# requires good left-hand positioning.

Use the guitar fretboard view in the Interactive Chord Finder to see all positions at once.

Diatonic Chords in E Melodic Minor

Stacking thirds on each degree of the E melodic minor scale produces seven triads with the distinctive melodic minor chord pattern:

The pattern minor – minor – augmented – major – major – diminished – diminished holds for every melodic minor key. The augmented III chord (Gaug) and the two diminished triads are hallmarks of the melodic minor sound.

Seventh Chords

Adding a fourth note to each triad produces the characteristic melodic minor seventh chord qualities:

The IV7 chord (A7) is the basis of the Lydian dominant mode — built from the fourth degree of the melodic minor. The altered scale, built from the seventh degree (D#), is one of the most important jazz improvisation tools.

Modes of the Melodic Minor

The E melodic minor scale generates these important modes:

Common Chord Progressions in E Melodic Minor

These progressions highlight the melodic minor’s harmonic character:

The ii – V – i in E melodic minor (F#m7 – B7 – Em(maj7)) is a staple jazz progression that works beautifully in this guitar-friendly key.

Relationship to Other Minor Scales

The three minor scales in E share five common notes and diverge on the sixth and seventh degrees:

The harmonic minor raises only the seventh, creating the augmented second (C to D#) that gives it an exotic flavour. The melodic minor raises both the sixth and seventh, eliminating that gap for smoother voice leading.

Songs and Repertoire

The E melodic minor sound appears across many styles:

• “Nardis” – Miles Davis / Bill Evans (modal jazz classic with melodic minor colours)
• “Black Orpheus” – Luiz Bonfa (bossa nova passages in melodic minor)
• “YYZ” – Rush (fusion-influenced passages)
• Film scores – the key of E minor is a favourite for orchestral writing, and melodic minor passages add sophistication

Practice Tips

Compare with natural minor. Play E natural minor, then E melodic minor immediately after. The raised C# and D# create a dramatic shift — learn to hear and feel this difference.

Use the open strings. On guitar, the open E and B strings are scale tones, making this key ideal for exploring melodic minor patterns with efficient fingering.

Play in thirds. Instead of E–F#–G–A, play E–G, F#–A, G–B, A–C# and so on. This reveals the interval structure and prepares you for chord voicings.

Explore the modes. The Lydian dominant starting on A and the altered scale starting on D# are particularly useful for jazz improvisation.

Use a metronome. Start at 60–80 BPM with one note per beat. Build speed only when every note is clean and even.

Try It Yourself

Open the Interactive Chord Finder, select E as the root and Melodic Minor (asc) as the scale. You will see every note highlighted on the piano keyboard or guitar fretboard, the step pattern visualised as intervals, and all diatonic chords laid out in a table — ready to play and explore.

For the complete list of scales in every key, see Scales for Piano and Guitar: The Complete Reference Guide.