Other Heptatonic Scales
There are of course other 7-note (heptatonic) scales as well that are not formed with the diatonic pattern. Two of these are the melodic minor and the harmonic minor. The melodic and harmonic minor scales are both variations of the Aeolian mode of the diatonic Major scale.
Melodic Minor
Here is what the A melodic minor looks like in the key of A minor:
A-B-C-D-E-F#-G#-A
T-S-T-T-T-T-S
The melodic minor is like the A natural minor except the F and G are both sharp.
It should be noted that there is an odd practice with the melodic minor. The scale pattern is only played in the ascending direction, towards the higher notes. When you play downward toward the bass notes of the scale, you play the natural minor (the Aeolian pattern of the Diatonic). So in most real music that uses this scale, you are actually playing two different scales depending on the direction you are playing.
The diagram below shows the A Melodic Minor at positions 3 and 8. The melodic minor can be played at other frets, but these positions match the diatonic positions I adressed in the diatonic scales section. Playing the melodic minor at these positions first will give you a better conception of their construction. Notice, however, the required e and f levers on String 8. This is very difficult to play quickly without sounding the intervening note (open string 8).
Also notice the [v] lever usage. If you do not have this lever, you may need to use some bar movement to get the needed note. This also applies to the [av] combination. If you do not have the [v] lever on your instrument, you can aquire the same note by pushing the [a] pedal down halfway. I usually indicate this with [av] or sometimes just [h].
Below are two possible vertical scale positions for the A melodic minor. The entire scale is shown including notes before and after the root note A. These patterns can be applied to any fret in order to play the melodic minor in different keys.
Below is the sheet music notation for the melodic minor at postions 3 and 8.
- You can find the notation legend here:
LEGEND
- You can find the full explanation of my notation system here:
PSG NOTATION
- You can find out how to read sheet music here:
READING MUSIC
- You can find the tuning arrangement of the pedals here:
COPEDENT
As mentioned above, the melodic minor is played like the natural minor (Aeolian Mode of the diatonic scale) when descending. This is what it looks like:
Every scale, including the melodic and harmonic minor scales, can be split up into modes. Modes of the melodic minor can be played by starting on a different note other than the root note A.
Here are the 7 modes of the melodic minor
Harmonic Minor
Here is how the harmonic minor is structured in the key of A harmonic minor:
A-B-C-D-E-F-G#-A
T-S-T-T-S-(TS)*-T
*note the large tone and a half interval (3 semitones) in the harmonic minor from F to G#.
This diagram shows positions 3 and 8 of the A harmonic minor. The entire scale is shown including notes before and after the root note A. These patterns can be applied to any fret to get the harmonic minor in different keys.
Here is the sheet music notation for the two positions of the A harmonic minor:
These scales also have their own modes. For example starting on the E note of the A harmonic minor would be called the E Spanish Phrygian. D would be the D Romanian, etc. There are several names for each of the modal scales of the harmonic minor, as well as the melodic minor. I have listed these because they are some of the more often recognized names for the modes of these two scales.
There are many other heptatonic scales, since there are many ways to divide the chromatic scale into 7 notes, but the diatonic and the minor ones laid out above are the most common.
HISTORY
CONSTRUCTION
TUNING
COPEDENTS
LEGEND
NOTATION
BEGINNERS
SCALES
DYADS
CHORDS
COMPOSITION
IMPROV
TECHNIQUES
EXERCISES
CLASSICS
TIMELINE