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> Melodic
Minor Positions
Melodic
Minor Positions
Before we begin, make sure you've been over the melodic minor scale lesson and
understand the core intervals of the scale.
We're now going to expand across the entire fretboard using melodic
minor scale positions. This will free up your playing and give you more
options for moving between different notes in the scale whichever key
you happen to be in.
This is just part of the process of learning scales across the entire
fretboard covered in the guitar scale patterns lesson.
The
7 melodic minor positions
We learned that the melodic minor scale is made up of 7 intervals like
most other scales we'll learn. The process is always the same - lay out
the scale's intervals across the low E string and build new, 5
fret-wide boxed patterns on each degree.
We'll start in the key of F#
in this example but remember this pattern is movable depending on the root note.
So, starting with the 1st position, we already know the boxed pattern
from the introductory lesson...
Now the 2nd position pattern...
3rd position, which starts on the minor 3rd. As you can see, this one
overlaps the 2nd position considerably so there's not much difference
between the two...
4th position...
5th position. Notice how the A string root note
in this position marks the beginning of the A string boxed pattern we
learned in the initial lesson...
6th position...
And finally the 7th position...
We can now link them all together to create a large melodic minor scale
pattern (remember, we're only in the key of F#
for this example)...
When the key changes, and therefore the root note
position, the entire
pattern moves with it. The important thing is you can gauge the
position of these root notes from the individual position patterns you
learn.
Spend time learning each one by heart before you attempt to link them
together.
Also, as well as linking the melodic minor positions together into one
large pattern like
above, try creating your own larger boxed patterns by linking 2
positions together. This will allow you to use runs and other scale
techniques in more economical spaces on the fretboard, especially at
higher frets.
To learn how to use this knowledge to use scales in a fluid and musical
way, I highly recommend the Guitar Scale
Mastery Course. Take a look.
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