Modes of Melodic Minor

[Scruffles]

Just like the major scale, melodic minor also has modes. A mode is when you start a scale on a note other than the root but play the same notes. The scale formula for melodic minor is 1 2 b3 4 5 6 7 8, and the intervals are W H W W W W H. Here are its modes:


Melodic minor - 1 2 b3 4 5 6 7 8, W H W W W W H. The first mode is the same thing as the parent scale, melodic minor.

Dorian b2/Phrygian +6 - 1 b2 b3 4 5 6 b7 8, H W W W W H W. The second mode of melodic minor can either be thought of as Dorian (1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7 8), the second mode of the major scale, with a flat second scale degree, or Phrygian (1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 8), the third mode of the major scale, with a sharpened sixth scale degree.

Lydian Augmented - 1 2 3 +4 +5 6 7 8, W W W W H W H. The third mode of melodic minor can be thought of as Lydian (1 2 3 +4 5 6 7 8), the fourth mode of the major scale, with a sharpened fifth scale degree.

Lydian Dominant - 1 2 3 +4 5 6 b7 8, W W W H W H W. The fourth mode of melodic minor can be thought of as Lydian (1 2 3 +4 5 6 7 8), the fourth mode of the major scale, with a flat seventh scale degree, or Mixolydian (1 2 3 4 5 6 b7 8), the fifth mode of the major scale, with a sharpened fourth scale degree. The scale is also referred to as Lydian b7, Mixolydian +4, and Mixolydian-Lydian.

Aeolian Major - 1 2 3 4 5 b6 b7 8, W W H W H W W. The fifth mode of melodic minor can be thought of as Aeolian (1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 8), the sixth mode of the major scale, with a sharpened third scale degree, or Mixolydian (1 2 3 4 5 6 b7 8), the fifth mode of the major scale, with a flat sixth scale degree.

Locrian Sharp 2 - 1 2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7 8, W H W H W W W. The sixth mode of melodic minor can be thought of as Locrian (1 b2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7 8), the seventh mode of the major scale, with a sharpened second scale degree, or Aeolian (1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 8), the sixth mode of the major scale, with a flat fifth scale degree.

Altered Dominant (http://www.guitarlodge.com/forums/guitar-bass/showthread.php?t=28609) - 1 b2 b3 b4 b5 b6 b7 8, H W H W W W W. The seventh mode of melodic minor can be thought of as Locrian (1 b2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7 8), the seventh mode of the major scale, with a flat fourth scale degree. It is also referred to as Super Locrian, Locrian b4, and Diminished Whole-Tone.

[GnRockGod79]

Dude very nice.
smitty:mad2:

[Louie]

I understand some of the Mode names but what do all whe numbers and Ws and Hs mean?:confused:

[Scruffles]

The numbers compare the scale to the parallel major scale, and W and H mean whole and half, respectively.

[trickymanssx]

Good lesson, I always like exploring things like this. The harmonic minor sounds too yngwieish for me. What else is the besides the normal modes, harmonic minor, and melodic minor?

[Scruffles]

Well, you can always use exotic scales, harmonic major, or synthetic scales. Many exotic scales can get you a different sound by emphasizing different scale degrees. Harmonic major (1 2 3 4 5 b6 7 8), or Ionian b6, can be thought of as the harmonic minor scale with a raised third, or the Ionian scale with a b6. Synthetic scales are basically scales that don't fall under any other category. A few of my favorite are: 1 b3 3 5 6 b7 8 (Scrufflonian A) and 1 b3 #4 5 7 8 (Scrufflonian B). The harmonic minor scale doesn't always have to sound Malmsteen-y, though. I mean, the major scale is used in almost every jingle ever written, but it doesn't have to have a cheery sound like that. Plus, the harmonic minor scale can be used to form a lot of enharmonic chords (dig (http://www.guitarlodge.com/forums/guitar-bass/showthread.php?t=26897)), which I (and the guys from Cynic) use a lot.

[GnRockGod79]

Good lesson, I always like exploring things like this. The harmonic minor sounds too yngwieish for me. What else is the besides the normal modes, harmonic minor, and melodic minor?
yngwieish is definitly the word of the day.
smitty:mad2:

[kid charlemagne]

Do you have an example of how this applies to guitar/fretboard?

[Silk]

When I play carelessly, for fun, that is, I find myself playing the Harmonic Minor with a blue passing note a lot, kind of like the Hungarian Gypsie scale. Too much of it gets weird, but passing those notes now and then gives the tension release thing. Accidentals are important, and I suppose I accident the blue note and 8b a lot.

[velvet revolver]

it's all good and well knowing the modes of the melodic minor scale, but could you give me examples of where it's used, that's my biggest problem when trying to deciepher it's mystery.

[Scruffles]

it's all good and well knowing the modes of the melodic minor scale, but could you give me examples of where it's used, that's my biggest problem when trying to deciepher it's mystery.

It's great that you want to know how to apply this, rather than just have it as a bit of useless knowledge. Well, the altered dominant scale is used to add tension, which can then be released by landing on a chord tone. The Lydian dominant scale can sometimes be substituted for Lydian or Mixolydian, with the one-note alteration making a big change in the sound. Lydian augmented can be used as a substitute for Lydian as well. Aeolian major is most commonly heard in the bVI-bVII-I progression, even though the bVI would technically be a bVI+ if it were completely diatonic. The melodic minor scale itself is used to make the V chord of Aeolian major (harmonic minor), and raising the sixth scale degree to eliminate the distance of an augmented second between the b6 and 7.

[kid charlemagne]

I found a great book on scales and modes. It has them all I think. Its called Guitar Grimiore A notated intervallic study of scales. It lists them in standard notation for music readers. The book is amazing. I now undertstand scales and modes. At first I thought a C dorian was a D phrygian. Im sure scruffles nows exactly what I was doing wrong.:o