G melodic minor scale
G melodic minor scale is G – A – B♭ – C – D – E – F♯, with B♭ and F♯. Formula 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7. Play it, then slow the tempo until every note is clear.
Notes and steps
From G upward the gaps are W H W W W W H (W = whole step, H = half step). The half steps fall between A–B♭ and F♯–G.
| Degree | Note | Interval from G | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G | root | |
| 2 | A | major second | |
| ♭3 | B♭ | minor third | |
| 4 | C | perfect fourth | |
| 5 | D | perfect fifth | |
| 6 | E | major sixth | |
| 7 | F♯ | major seventh |
The sound of G melodic minor scale
Its top half is the same as G major and its bottom half is minor, which gives it a dark start and a bright finish; jazz uses it for altered and lydian-dominant sounds.
Its chords include C and D, both with major thirds, so a melody in G melodic minor can sit over a major IV and V while the tonic stays Gm.
Compared with G natural minor scale, G melodic minor scale has E and F♯ where the other has E♭ and F; the other five notes are shared. Hear G natural minor scale and compare.
Playing G melodic minor
Keyboard players: two black (B♭ and F♯), five white.
18 notes fit in the box between frets 1 and 7, with G at the 3rd fret of the low E string.
Chords built on each note
Stack every other note of the scale on each degree and you get 7 chords. These are the chords that fit G melodic minor scale; the ones that differ from the major set are what give the scale its color. Tap to hear each one.
Finding G melodic minor on the neck
The root, G, sits at frets 3 and 15 on the low E string and 10 on the A string. Five overlapping fingerings cover the neck, starting near frets 3, 5, 8, 10 and 12 on the low E string. Classical teaching plays it with the raised notes going up and natural minor coming down; jazz players keep it the same both ways.
On the piano, G melodic minor scale uses 2 black keys (B♭ and F♯) and 5 white.
Thirds make the scale sound musical instead of step-by-step: G–B♭, A–C, B♭–D, C–E, D–F♯, E–G, F♯–A.
Practice patterns for G melodic minor scale
Try these after the plain scale. Tap to hear each pattern at a steady speed, then play along.
- Three-note runs: G A B♭ · A B♭ C · B♭ C D · C D E · D E F♯ · E F♯ G.
- Target E: G E G E G: the raised 6th and 7th make the top half sound major.
Try next, from G
Melodic minor scale in every key
G melodic minor scale: questions
What are the notes of the G melodic minor scale?
G, A, B♭, C, D, E, F♯, G. As degrees: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7.
How many sharps or flats are in the G melodic minor scale?
Two: B♭ and F♯.
What chords are in the G melodic minor scale?
Stacking thirds on each note gives Gm (i), Am (ii), B♭aug (III+), C (IV), D (V), Edim (vi°) and F♯dim (vii°).
What's the difference between G melodic minor scale and G natural minor scale?
E and F♯ in G melodic minor; E♭ and F in the other. Everything else is the same.
Every note on this page is computed from 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7 and tested. Updated September 2026.