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C Melodic Minor Scale – Guitar

A minor scale with a raised 6th and 7th: smooth and modern, a jazz staple. Here it is in C: the notes, the whole neck, all five boxes with TAB, and a backing track to practise over.

Notes in the C melodic minor scale

Formula: 1 – 2 – b3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7. Use it to solo over songs in C minor, and over C blues and rock progressions.

C melodic minor scale on the whole neck

EADGBe123456789101112131415FGABDEbFGABDEbFGABDEbFGABDEbFGABDEbFGABDEbFGABDFGABDEbFG
C Melodic Minor Scale on the whole neck, frets 0-15. Gold = the root (C).
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The 5 boxes (positions) with TAB

Each box is one hand position. Learn Box 1 first: play it up with the TAB, then back down, then move to the next box – together they cover the whole neck.

Box 1 · frets 7–12

EADGBe789101112BDEbFGAABDDEbFGGABBDEb
C Melodic Minor Scale, box 1
e|-------------------------------------------------------7--8--10-11-|
B|----------------------------------------------8--10-12-------------|
G|----------------------------------7--8--10-12----------------------|
D|----------------------7--9--10-12----------------------------------|
A|-------------8--10-12----------------------------------------------|
E|-7--8--10-11-------------------------------------------------------|

Box 2 · frets 9–14

EADGBe91011121314DEbFGABBDEbFGAABDEbF
C Melodic Minor Scale, box 2
e|-------------------------------------------------10-11-13-|
B|----------------------------------------10-12-13----------|
G|-------------------------------10-12-14-------------------|
D|-------------------9--10-12-13----------------------------|
A|----------10-12-14----------------------------------------|
E|-10-11-13-------------------------------------------------|

Box 3 · frets 11–17

EADGBe11121314151617EbFGAABDDEbFGGABBDEbEbFGA
C Melodic Minor Scale, box 3
e|-------------------------------------------------------------11-13-15-17-|
B|-------------------------------------------------12-13-15-16-------------|
G|-------------------------------------12-14-16-17-------------------------|
D|-------------------------12-13-15-17-------------------------------------|
A|-------------12-14-15-17-------------------------------------------------|
E|-11-13-15-17-------------------------------------------------------------|

Box 4 · frets 2–7

EADGBe234567GABBDEbFGAABDDEbFGAB
C Melodic Minor Scale, box 4
e|-----------------------------------3-5-7-|
B|-----------------------------3-4-6-------|
G|---------------------2-4-5-7-------------|
D|---------------3-5-7---------------------|
A|-------2-3-5-6---------------------------|
E|-3-5-7-----------------------------------|

Box 5 · frets 4–9

EADGBe456789ABDEbFGABBDEbEbFGAB
C Melodic Minor Scale, box 5
e|---------------------------------5-7-8-|
B|---------------------------4-6-8-------|
G|-------------------4-5-7-8-------------|
D|-------------5-7-9---------------------|
A|-------5-6-8---------------------------|
E|-5-7-8---------------------------------|

C minor backing track

Play the boxes over this, starting and ending phrases on the gold root notes.

Sexy Slow Blues Backing Track in C Minor | Bonamassa Style Jam Track (44.666 BPM) – Now YOU Shred Backing Tracks

Songs in C minor

These songs are in C minor, so this is a scale that fits for soloing over them:

All songs in C minor →

Other scales in C

Melodic Minor Scale in other keys

Put it to use: solo with it, step by step, starting with three notes.

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FAQ

What notes are in the C melodic minor scale?

C, D, Eb, F, G, A, B. The formula is 1 2 b3 4 5 6 7.

Where do I start playing the C melodic minor scale on guitar?

Start with Box 1, frets 7–12. The root note C is on the low E string at fret 8.