F# Melodic Minor Mandolin Scale — Standard
Mandolin scale in Standard tuning — fretboard diagram
F# Melodic Minor in Standard — Notes and Intervals
The F# Melodic Minor scale, often called the Jazz Minor, offers a more sophisticated and fluid sound than the natural minor. On Mandolin, it contains the notes F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#, F. It is a vital tool for modern jazz improvisation, allowing players to navigate complex dominant chords and create elegant, tension-filled melodic lines that avoid the exotic jump of the harmonic minor. The diatonic chords of F# Melodic Minor are F#m6, G#m7, A+maj7, B7, C#7, D#m7b5, Fm7b5. Commonly used in Jazz, Fusion, Contemporary Classical, Progressive. Notable players include Pat Metheny, John Coltrane, Allan Holdsworth. Use over m(Maj7), m6 chords. Its modes cover nearly every altered dominant situation in jazz. The 'jazz minor' is the single most important advanced scale system.
Notes: F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#, F
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3m, 4P, 5P, 6M, 7M
Degrees: 1 2 b3 4 5 6 7
Formula: W-H-W-W-W-W-H
Number of notes: 7
Tuning: Standard (G-D-A-E)
Diatonic Chords
F♯m6 — G♯m7 — A+maj7 — B7 — C♯7 — D♯m7♭5 — Fm7♭5
About Standard Tuning
The mandolin is tuned in fifths — G-D-A-E from low to high — the same intervals as a violin. This tuning gives the mandolin its distinctive bright, penetrating tone that cuts through any ensemble. With only four courses of doubled strings and 20 frets, the mandolin rewards precise melodic playing and rapid tremolo picking.
From Bill Monroe's invention of bluegrass to Chris Thile's genre-defying virtuosity with Punch Brothers, the mandolin has proven itself far beyond its folk roots. Its fifths tuning makes it a natural partner for fiddle players, and its compact fretboard encourages creative chord voicings and rapid scale runs that are impossible on guitar. The mandolin is also central to Italian classical music, Brazilian choro, and Irish traditional music.
Notable artists: Bill Monroe, Chris Thile, David Grisman, Sam Bush, Sierra Hull
Best for: Bluegrass leads, Celtic melodies, tremolo picking, and any ensemble that needs a bright, cutting melodic voice