9 Melodic Minor Scale Exercises For Jazz Guitar

One of the most fundamental and essential tools that any player learninghow to play jazz guitarcan have in their
bag are Melodic Minor Scale Exercises for guitar.

These seven modes are great for learning to see harmonic and melodic shapes on the neck, visualize our
fingerboards as well as provide melodic material for us to improvise, compose and arrange with.

These modes produce some of the most commonly used chords in jazz, including Maj7(#5), 7(#11),
7(b13) and the ever popular Altered Chord.

Because of this, a thorough knowledge of the Melodic Minor Modes is essential for any jazz guitarist who
wants to properly navigate changes from the Bebop era onwards.

If you havent worked on some or all of these modes yet, not to worry, take some time today to learn one
of the Melodic Minor Modes that you havent checked out yet.

If you need help with some fingerings, check out these links for fingerings and to learn how each mode is
built and how it functions harmonically in a jazz context.

For more info on these scales check out my in-depth article Modes of the Melodic Minor Scale and Their
Application with Video

Melodic Minor Modes

Melodic Minor

Dorian b2 Mode

Lydian Augmented
 Lydian Dominant

Mixolydian b6

Locrian Natural 9

Altered

If you already know how to play some, most or all of these modes, and you are looking for a new way to
practice or play these commonly used melodic devices, here are 9 of my favorite Melodic Minor Scale
Exercises that you can check out in your jazz guitar practice routine.

Melodic Minor Scale Exercises

Ascending and Descending Intervals (3rds, 4ths, 5ths, 6ths, 7ths)

Ascending and Descending Triads (135-246-357 etc)

Ascending and Descending Arpeggios (1357-2468-3579 etc)

Play with a Specific Rhythm (dotted quarters, triplets, eight and two sixteenths etc)

Improvise with a Mode Over its Related Chord

Sing the Root of the Mode While Playing It

Sing a Mode While Playing the Root

Do All of the Above With a Metronome (from 40 to 300 bpm and everything in between)

Do All of the Above in all 12 Keys

So, with your time today that you can dedicate to practicing the Melodic Minor Mode Exercises, try one of
these ideas and see if you can master it in a 12 keys and at a few tempos, from ballad to swinging to
burning.

These Modes will come up everyday you play jazz guitar, so having a solid grasp of them on the
instrument and in your ears is essential to moving forward as a jazz guitarist.

Spending time working on Melodic Minor Scale Exercises in the woodshed is always time well spent for
any jazz guitarist.