C Melodic Minor Scale

The C Melodic Minor Scale has a minor quality due to its minor Third E. The Melodic Minor Scale, like C Melodic Minor, is similar to the C Harmonic Minor Scale with a raised (by a semitone) Seventh B, but also has a raised (by a semitone) Sixth A. This improves melodic passages by replacing the one and a half tone interval between the Sixth and Seventh with a smaller one tone interval. When descending the scale, we use the notes of the C Natural Minor Scale. The C Melodic Minor Scale is classified as a heptatonic scale as it has seven notes, C, D, E, F, G, A, B.

Below you will find the C Melodic Minor Scale notes, notation, patterns, degrees, intervals and more. You can also opt to see the C Melodic Minor Scale on your preferred instrument.

Theoretical Only

The C Melodic Minor Scale is considered theoretical only as it has double sharps or flats in the key signature.

The usual alternative is the enharmonic equivalent B Melodic Minor Scale

Notes Ascending

C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C

Notes Descending

C, B, A, G, F, E, D, C

Pattern Ascending

T, S, T, T, T, T, S

S = Semitone, T = Tone (2 Semitones)

Pattern Descending

T, T, S, T, T, S, T

S = Semitone, T = Tone (2 Semitones)

Degrees Ascending

NoteNumberName
C1Tonic
D2Supertonic
E3Mediant
F4Subdominant
G5Dominant
A6Submediant
B7Leading Tone
C8Tonic (Octave)

Degrees Descending

NoteNumberName
C8Tonic (Octave)
B7Subtonic
A6Submediant
G5Dominant
F4Subdominant
E3Mediant
D2Supertonic
C1Tonic

Intervals Ascending

NotesSemitonesInterval
C > C0Perfect Unison (P1)
C > D2Major 2nd (M2)
C > E3minor 3rd (m3)
C > F5Perfect 4th (P4)
C > G7Perfect 5th (P5)
C > A9Major 6th (M6)
C > B11Major 7th (M7)
C > C12Perfect Octave (P8)

Intervals Descending

NotesSemitonesInterval
C > C0Perfect Unison (P1)
C > B2Major 2nd (M2)
C > A4Major 3rd (M3)
C > G5Perfect 4th (P4)
C > F7Perfect 5th (P5)
C > E9Major 6th (M6)
C > D10minor 7th (m7)
C > C12Perfect Octave (P8)

Scales related to C Melodic Minor Scale

Enharmonic Equivalent Scale

Scale with the same root and notes as the C Melodic Minor Scale but different spelling.

B Melodic Minor Scale

Parallel Major Scale

Major scale with the same root note as C Melodic Minor Scale.

C Major Scale

Chords related to C Melodic Minor Scale

Related Triads

These chords have been built using the notes of the C Melodic Minor Scale. The chords are in degree order and shown in Roman numerals (lowercase = minor/diminished, uppercase = Major/Augmented).

i Chord - C Minor

ii Chord - D Minor

III+ Chord - D Augmented

IV Chord - F Major

V Chord - G Major

vio Chord - A Diminished

viio Chord - B Diminished

Learn to Play C Melodic Minor Scale

Instrument View

See C Melodic Minor Scale on

If you want to learn what scales and modes are and much more, check out our free Fundamentals of Music Theory course. If you already know some of the basics, you can jump straight into the scales lesson.

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