7 Melodic Minor Modes in 7 Days
Take the headache out of learning modes.
Intermediate guitarists
Mastered major scale modes? Looking for new melodic vocabulary? This is the course you've been looking for.
7 days
Sam will guide you through 7 days of step-by-step instruction with interactive TAB and daily assignments.
Unlock modes
By the end of this class, you'll be able to hear, visualize, and solo with the 7 modes of the Melodic Minor scale.
Take the next step
Once you've mastered this course, keep learning with advanced Master Classes and guided practice plans.
What you'll learn
Each day, Sam will break down one Melodic Minor mode and walk you through how to use it in an improvisational context.
- Graduate from major-scale modal soloing
- Expand your improvisational skills with colorful sounds
- Explore each mode with a collection of jam tracks
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Curriculum
Stay focused with this step-by-step learning program designed by our expert team of music educators.
Your guided learning pathway
In this 7-day Master Class, you'll discover the chords and modes that live within the Melodic Minor scale.
Melodic Minor
We'll kick off the class by exploring the Melodic Minor scale, which serves as the parent scale for the modes you'll study in this Master Class.
Susb9
Next up, the second mode of the melodic minor scale – Susb9 or Dorian b2.
This mode is characterized by a dark and suspended sound – you might recognize it if you're a fan of Herbie Hancock or Chick Corea.
Lydian Augmented
This next mode you'll study isn't the most commonly-used one (jazz musicians didn't really start using it until the 1960s), but it's worth a quick look.
Lydian Augmented, which has a dark and more complex sound, works well over major7#5 chords.
Day 4. Lydian Dominant
The 4th mode of the Melodic Minor scale is Lydian Dominant. This top-three mode is the perfect choice to use over a dominant seventh chord with a #11(b5).
Day 5. Mixolydian b6
Here, Sam will break down the 5th mode of the Melodic Minor scale. This rarely-used mode isn't crucial to know, but it's worth playing if you're a jazz nerd!
Day 6. Locrian #2
The 6th mode of the Melodic Minor scale is widely used over half-diminished chords. This one is a must-know for any aspiring jazz musician.
Day 7. Altered
You'll cap off the class by studying the holy grail of all scales and modes: the altered mode. This 7th mode of the Melodic Minor scale is widely used in jazz, funk, R&B, and neo soul.
Day 1.
Learn the theory behind the Melodic Minor parent scale and work on incorporating it in your playing.
Day 1. Melodic Minor
The Melodic Minor scale is the darker and more exotic-sounding cousin to the major scale. On your first day in class, you'll get familiar with all things Melodic Minor.
You can use modes from Melodic Minor scale to add "spice" and color to your music. These modes are widely used in jazz and jazz-influenced styles of music. Artists like Stevie Wonder, Prince, Anderson .Paak, Robert Glasper, and practically every modern jazz musician use these modes often.
Interlude: 5 positions of the Melodic Minor scale
Each day of this class is structured as a modal overview, where you'll learn the fundamentals of each mode and get comfortable with one position of it in an improvisational context.
Since the Melodic Minor is our reference point for this class, it's worth spending time internalizing the entire scale across your fretboard. This lesson serves as a practice resource that you can incorporate into your daily practice routine.
Days 2-3
Once you get a feel for the parent Melodic Minor scale, we'll start to explore its modes.
Day 2. Susb9
The second mode of the Melodic Minor scale goes by the names “Susb9” or “Dorian b2”. This mode is used often in modern jazz music and is a good one to know if you're looking to get into jazz soloing.
Day 3. Lydian Augmented
Lydian Augmented is the third mode of the Melodic Minor scale. This mode, which lends itself to a modern jazz sound, works great over major7#5 chords.
Days 4-5
Continue building out your improvisational vocabulary with two more Melodic Minor modes.
Day 4. Lydian Dominant
The fourth mode of the Melodic Minor scale is Lydian Dominant. It's a top three mode and the perfect choice to use over a dominant seventh chord with a #11(b5).
Day 5. Mixolydian b6
Next, Sam will break down the 5th mode of the Melodic Minor scale, but feel free to skip this mode if you'd like! It's rarely played. We'll use this day to recap everything you've learned so far and dive deeper into some music theory.
Interlude: The interchangeability of Melodic Minor modes
Let's zoom out. In this lesson, you'll learn how and when Melodic Minor harmony is used (plus, why it's so awesome).
All seven Melodic Minor modes share the same notes from their parent Melodic Minor scale. This is similar to major scale harmony, where the seven chords of a major scale share the same notes.
Days 6 & 7
Wrap up with the two most useful Melodic Minor modes and 10 licks to fuel your soloing.
Day 6. Locrian #2
Locrian #2 is the 6th mode of the Melodic Minor scale – you can use it as a more fitting alternative to the Locrian mode over m7b5 chords.
Day 7. Altered
We saved the best for last! The 7th mode of the Melodic Minor scale is widely used in jazz, funk, R&B, and neo soul. In our opinion, every guitarist should get to know the unique sound of the altered mode.
Licks: 10 Melodic Minor licks
Cap off the class by getting some jam-ready licks into your bag of tricks to fuel your playing.
REAL students
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What guitarists love about this course
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Your Instructor
Sam Blakelock
Sam Blakelock is a guitarist, educator, and the founder of Pickup Music. He's an expert at helping guitarists of all levels tackle fundamental techniques and complex topics in a straightforward & practical way.
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