About the A Melodic Minor Ascending scale
A Melodic Minor Ascending is used for jazz, film scores and classical melodies that rise out of a minor key. Think of it as a minor scale with a major sixth and seventh on the way up, smooth and modern. It is A Major with the third lowered.
Its notes are A, B, C, D, E, F♯, and G♯. The formula is W H W W W W H.
Also called Jazz Minor and Melodic Minor. Jazz players usually call this scale the jazz minor scale.
On the piano, the key touches the black keys F♯ and G♯. The scale lines up five white keys back to back.
Chords in the key of A Melodic Minor Ascending
Expand a chord to see how to play it.
Position 2 of 3
A minor over C (1st inversion)
Position 2 of 3
B minor over D (1st inversion)
Position 2 of 3
C augmented over E (1st inversion)
Position 2 of 3
D over F sharp (1st inversion)
Position 2 of 3
E over G sharp (1st inversion)
Position 2 of 3
F sharp diminished over A (1st inversion)
Position 2 of 3
G sharp diminished over B (1st inversion)
Seventh chords in A Melodic Minor Ascending
The four-note version of each chord, richer and jazzier.
A minor major seven
B minor seven
C major seven sharp five
D seven
E seven
F sharp minor seven flat five
G sharp minor seven flat five
Progressions in A Melodic Minor Ascending
Tap any chord to hear it, or play the whole progression.
Notes and intervals
| 1 | AA | Root |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | BB | Major 2nd |
| 3 | CC | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | DD | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | EE | Perfect 5th |
| 6 | F#F♯ | Major 6th |
| 7 | G#G♯ | Major 7th |
| Steps | W H W W W W H |
|---|---|
| Semitones | 2-1-2-2-2-2-1 |
| Degrees | 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7 |
Fingering
Standard fingering
| Hand | A | B | C | D | E | F sharp | G sharp | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Practicing it
In the right hand, the thumb comes under on D. In the left hand, the thumb takes E. The hands are mirror images here, so a contrary-motion octave out from A takes matching fingers in both. The black keys F♯ and G♯ fall to the long fingers, with the fourth finger anchoring on G♯, which leaves the thumb on white keys throughout.
Shapes
Chromatic
Circle of Fifths
Related scales
Melodic Minor Ascending in other keys
C Melodic Minor Ascending scaleD flat Melodic Minor Ascending scaleD Melodic Minor Ascending scaleE flat Melodic Minor Ascending scaleE Melodic Minor Ascending scaleF Melodic Minor Ascending scaleG flat Melodic Minor Ascending scaleG Melodic Minor Ascending scaleA flat Melodic Minor Ascending scaleB flat Melodic Minor Ascending scaleB Melodic Minor Ascending scale
Modes
The same notes, starting on a different note.
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