Modes of the Melodic Minor Scale I: The Relative Approach

This post will use the relative approach to construct the modes of the melodic minor scale and provide instruction on how to play them on a guitar in any key.

Modes: The Relative Approach

With the relative approach to modes, each mode is viewed as a type of scale that is derived from the melodic minor scale and is related to that scale.

Melodic Minor Scale

The first mode of the melodic minor scale is identical to the melodic minor scale; it has no special name.

An A melodic minor scale contains the notes A, B, C, D, E, F# and G# (fig.1).

The root note is A.

Fig.1

Dorian b2 Scale

The Dorian b2 mode is the second mode of the melodic minor scale.

If we start any given melodic minor scale on its second note and play to that same note an octave higher, we are playing a Dorian b2 scale.

If we start an A melodic minor scale on a B and play to the B an octave higher, we are playing a B Dorian b2 scale (fig.2).

A B Dorian b2 scale contains the same notes as an A melodic minor scale, but played from B to B.

The root note is B.

Fig.2

Lydian #5 (or Lydian Augmented) Scale

The Lydian augmented mode is the third mode of the melodic minor scale.

If we start any given melodic minor scale on its third note and play to that same note an octave higher, we are playing a Lydian augmented scale.

If we start an A melodic minor scale on a C and play to the C an octave higher, we are playing a C Lydian augmented scale (fig.3).

A C Lydian augmented scale contains the same notes as an A melodic minor scale, but played from C to C.

The root note is C.

Fig.3

Lydian b7 (or Lydian Dominant) Scale

The Lydian dominant mode is the fourth mode of the melodic minor scale.

If we start any given melodic minor scale on its fourth note and play to that same note an octave higher, we are playing a Lydian dominant scale.

If we start an A melodic minor scale on a D and play to the D an octave higher, we are playing a D Lydian dominant scale (fig.4).

A D Lydian dominant scale contains the same notes as an A melodic minor scale, but played from D to D.

The root note is D.

Fig.4

Mixolydian b6 Scale

The Mixolydian b6 mode is the fifth mode of the melodic minor scale.

If we start any given melodic minor scale on its fifth note and play to that same note an octave higher, we are playing a Mixolydian b6 scale.

If we start an A melodic minor scale on an E and play to the E an octave higher, we are playing an E Mixolydian b6 scale (fig.5).

An E Mixolydian b6 scale contains the same notes as an A melodic minor scale, but played from E to E.

The root note is E.

Fig.5

Locrian #2 Scale

The Locrian #2 mode is the sixth mode of the melodic minor scale.

If we start any given melodic minor scale on its sixth note and play to that same note an octave higher, we are playing a Locrian #2 scale.

If we start an A melodic minor scale on an F# and play to the F# an octave higher, we are playing an F Locrian #2 scale (fig.6).

An F# Locrian #2 scale contains the same notes as an A melodic minor scale, but played from F# to F#.

The root note is F#.

Fig.6

The Altered Scale

The altered scale (a/k/a the super Locrian and the diminished whole tone scale) is the seventh mode of the melodic minor scale.

If we start any given melodic minor scale on its seventh note and play to that same note an octave higher, we are playing an altered scale.

If we start an A melodic minor scale on a G# and play to the G# an octave higher, we are playing a G# altered scale (fig.7).

A G# altered scale contains the same notes as an A melodic minor scale, but played from G# to G#.

The root note is G#.

Fig.7

Modes of the Melodic Minor Scale on a Guitar

With the relative approach to modes, each of the modes is related to the melodic minor scale from which it is derived.

Using this approach, you don’t need to learn any new scale fingerings to play the modes, just play the related melodic minor scale fingering but start and end on a different note.