The Melodic Minor Scale

Jazz Guitar Toolbox 1.2

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JazzGuitarLessons.net

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root on the sixth string
7 8 10 8 7
8 10 10 8
7 8 10 10 8 7
7 9 10 10 9 7
6 8 10 10 8 6

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8 10 10 8

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root on the fifth string
5 7 8 8 7 5
4 6 8 8 6 4
4 5 7 7 5 4
3 5 7 7 5 3
3 5 6 6 5 3

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RECOMMENDED DAILY ROUTINE

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1. Long Tones

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 = 10-40bpm
7 8
8 10
7 8 10
7 9 10

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6 8 10

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8 10

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2. Eighth Notes (play swung, then straight eighths)

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 = 60-100bpm
7 8 10 8 7
8 10 10 8
7 8 10 10 8 7
7 9 10 10 9 7
6 8 10 10 8 6
8 10 10 8
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3. Diatonic Thirds, Ascending and Descending

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7 8 7 10
4 8 10 8 10
7 8 7 10 10
7 9 7 10 9 10
6 8 6 10 8 10
8 10

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10 7 8 7
10 8 10 8
10 8 10 7 8 7
10 9 10 7 9 7
10 8 10 6 8 6
10 8

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4. Improvise with metronome on 2&4 using scale shape 1, then scale shape 2

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 = 60-80

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TWO USEFUL MODES OF MELODIC MINOR

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altered scale: any altered scale can be played using the melodic minor scale a half step above.

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Try this for the G altered scale (think I'm going the play Ab melodic minor, starting from G*)

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*note: when improvising, of course you don't have to "start"
your lines from a G note
3
4 6
3 4 6
3 5 6
2 4 6
3 4 6

2
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Soloing exercise
Dm7 G7 Cma7

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chord scale:

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C major ----------------------- Ab melodic minor---------- C major---------------------------------------------------------

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lydian dominant scale: any lydian dominant scale can be played using the melodic minor scale a fifth above.

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this is a useful scale for dominant 7th chords!

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Try this for the F lydian dominant scale (think I'm going the play C melodic minor, starting from F*)

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7 8 10 8 7
8 10 10 8
7 8 10 10 8 7
7 9 10 10 9 7
8 10 10 8

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Soloing exercise
C7 F7

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chord scale:
G melodic minor------------------------------------------------------------------------ C melodic minor -----------------------

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C7 A7 Dm7 G7 C7 Dm7 G7

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G melodic minor--E melodic minor--D melodic minor------------------------- G melodic minor-- D melodic minor

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