Notes in the B♭ Melodic Minor scale
| Degree | Note | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | B♭ | Tonic |
| 2 | C | Supertonic |
| ♭3 | D♭ | Mediant |
| 4 | E♭ | Subdominant |
| 5 | F | Dominant |
| 6 | G | Submediant |
| 7 | A | Leading tone |
Each note uses a different letter name, so the spelling follows the scale rather than the keyboard: B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G A.
B♭ Melodic Minor scale formula
The pattern of steps from one note to the next is W – H – W – W – W – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step). Compared with the major scale the degrees are 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7.
Chords in the B♭ Melodic Minor scale
Stacking thirds on each note of the scale gives these chords:
| Degree | Triad | 7th chord |
|---|---|---|
| i | B♭m | B♭m(maj7) |
| ii | Cm | Cm7 |
| III+ | D♭+ | D♭7♯5 |
| IV | E♭ | E♭7 |
| V | F | F7 |
| vi° | G° | Gø7 |
| vii° | A° | Aø7 |
Chord names link to guitar chord shapes where we have them.
Related scales
- Natural minor: B♭ Natural Minor
How to practise the B♭ Melodic Minor scale
Learn it as natural minor with both the 6th and 7th raised. Classical convention uses this form going up and natural minor coming down; jazz players keep the raised form both ways.
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes in the B♭ Melodic Minor scale?
The notes of the B♭ Melodic Minor scale are B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G A.
What is the formula for the B♭ Melodic Minor scale?
The pattern of whole and half steps is W – H – W – W – W – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step). In scale degrees: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7.
What chords are in the B♭ Melodic Minor scale?
Built from the scale in triads: B♭m, Cm, D♭+, E♭, F, G°, A°.
More B♭ scales
B♭ Major, B♭ Natural Minor, B♭ Harmonic Minor, B♭ Dorian, B♭ Phrygian, B♭ Lydian, B♭ Mixolydian, B♭ Locrian, B♭ Major Pentatonic, B♭ Minor Pentatonic, B♭ Blues, B♭ Lydian Dominant, B♭ Whole Tone, B♭ Dorian ♭2, B♭ Lydian Augmented, B♭ Mixolydian ♭6, B♭ Locrian ♯2, B♭ Phrygian Dominant, B♭ Hungarian Minor, B♭ Double Harmonic, B♭ Diminished (W–H), B♭ Diminished (H–W), B♭ Bebop Dominant, B♭ Bebop Major
Explore the full scales library, find a scale from notes with the scale finder, or see every chord in every key in the chord chart.