E Melodic Minor Scale
Notes in the E Melodic Minor Scale
| Degree | Name | Note | Frequency (A=440) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | E | 329.628 Hz |
| 2 | Supertonic | F# | 369.994 Hz |
| ♭3 | Minor Mediant | G | 391.995 Hz |
| 4 | Subdominant | A | 440.000 Hz |
| 5 | Dominant | B | 493.883 Hz |
| 6 | Major Submediant | C# | 277.183 Hz |
| 7 | Leading Tone | D# | 311.127 Hz |
Interval Pattern
| Step | Interval | Semitones | From Note | To Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | E | F# |
| 2 | Half Step (H) | 1 | F# | G |
| 3 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | G | A |
| 4 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | A | B |
| 5 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | B | C# |
| 6 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | C# | D# |
| 7 | Half Step (H) | 1 | D# | E |
Chords Built on Scale Degrees
| Degree | Note | Chord | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | E minor | minor |
| 2 | F# | F# minor | minor |
| ♭3 | G | G augmented | augmented |
| 4 | A | A | major |
| 5 | B | B | major |
| 6 | C# | C# diminished | diminished |
| 7 | D# | D# diminished | diminished |
Key Signature
4 ♯ — The E key signature uses F#, C#, G#, D#.
E Melodic Minor Scale in Practice
The E Melodic Minor Scale uses the key signature of 4 sharps (F#, C#, G#, D#). E major has four sharps and a powerful, resonant sound particularly suited to guitar. It is one of the most common keys in rock and blues music. On guitar, E positions offer open-string resonance for fingering positions for this scale.
The melodic minor scale raises both the 6th and 7th degrees ascending to smooth out the augmented second of harmonic minor. In jazz it is used in both directions.
Tuning Frequencies Across Temperaments
Frequencies shown at A=440 Hz. View full temperament data for any note.
| Note | Equal Temp. | Pythagorean | Just Intonation |
|---|---|---|---|
| E | 329.628 Hz | 330.001 Hz | 327.032 Hz |
| F# | 369.994 Hz | 371.251 Hz | 367.911 Hz |
| G | 391.995 Hz | 391.111 Hz | 392.438 Hz |
| A | 440.000 Hz | 440.000 Hz | 436.043 Hz |
| B | 493.883 Hz | 495.000 Hz | 490.548 Hz |
| C# | 277.183 Hz | 278.437 Hz | 279.067 Hz |
| D# | 311.127 Hz | 309.026 Hz | 313.951 Hz |
Related Scales
Guitar: E Melodic Minor Scale Positions
The E key offers 4 sharps (F#, C#, G#, D#) on guitar. Sharp-side keys like E are idiomatic guitar keys because open strings (E, A, D, G, B, E) align with the scale's natural resonance points.