A Melodic Minor (Classical) Mandolin Scale, Chords & Progressions

The A Melodic Minor (Classical) scale on mandolin: scale shapes, chords and progressions, with tab you can play along to in the interactive lesson.

Notes going up: A B C D E F# G#

Notes coming down: A G F E D C B

Tuning: Standard (G D A E)

Scales

Scale shapes

4NPS - Seventh Position

E|--0---2---4---5-|
A|--0---2---3---5-|
D|--0---2---4---6-|
G|--1---2---4---5-|

Coming down

E|--0---1---3---5-|
A|--0---2---3---5-|
D|--0---2---3---5-|
G|--2---4---5-----|

4NPS - First Position

E|--2---4---5---7-|
A|--2---3---5---7-|
D|--2---4---6---7-|
G|--2---4---5---7-|

Coming down

E|--1---3---5---7-|
A|--2---3---5---7-|
D|--2---3---5---7-|
G|--2---4---5---7-|

4NPS - Second Position

E|--4---5---7---8-|
A|--3---5---7---9-|
D|--4---6---7---9-|
G|--4---5---7---9-|

Coming down

E|--3---5---7---8-|
A|--3---5---7---8-|
D|--3---5---7---9-|
G|--4---5---7---9-|

Exercises

Basic Chords

Chords

Degree	Chord	Notes	Fingering (low to high)
I	Am	A C E	`2 2 3 0`
I	Am	A C E	`2 2 3 5`
I	Am	A C E	`5 2 3 5`
I	Am	A C E	`5 7 7 5`
II	Bm	B D F#	`4 4 5 2`
II	Bm	B D F#	`4 4 5 7`
II	Bm	B D F#	`7 4 5 7`
II	Bm	B D F#	`7 9 9 7`
III	Caug	C E G#	`1 2 x x`
III	Caug	C E G#	`1 2 3 0`
III	Caug	C E G#	`1 2 3 x`
III	Caug	C E G#	`1 2 3 4`
IV	D	D F# A	`2 0 0 2`
IV	D	D F# A	`2 4 5 2`
IV	D	D F# A	`2 4 5 5`
IV	D	D F# A	`7 4 5 5`
V	E	E G# B	`4 2 2 4`
V	E	E G# B	`1 2 2 0`
V	E	E G# B	`1 2 2 4`
V	E	E G# B	`4 6 7 4`
VI	F#dim	F# A C	`2 4 3 2`
VI	F#dim	F# A C	`5 4 0 2`
VII	G#dim	G# B D	`4 6 5 4`
VII	G#dim	G# B D	`7 6 2 4`

Seventh Chords

Chords

Degree	Chord	Notes	Fingering (low to high)
I	Am(maj7)	A C E G#	`1 2 0 0`
I	Am(maj7)	A C E G#	`1 2 0 x`
I	Am(maj7)	A C E G#	`1 2 3 0`
I	Am(maj7)	A C E G#	`1 2 3 x`
II	Bm7	B D F# A	`2 0 0 2`
II	Bm7	B D F# A	`2 4 5 2`
II	Bm7	B D F# A	`2 4 5 5`
II	Bm7	B D F# A	`4 4 5 5`
III	Cmaj7#5	C E G# B	`4 2 2 4`
III	Cmaj7#5	C E G# B	`1 2 2 0`
III	Cmaj7#5	C E G# B	`4 6 7 4`
III	Cmaj7#5	C E G# B	`4 6 7 7`
IV	D7	D F# A C	`2 0 3 2`
IV	D7	D F# A C	`x 0 3 2`
IV	D7	D F# A C	`5 0 0 5`
IV	D7	D F# A C	`5 0 3 2`
V	E7	E G# B D	`4 2 5 4`
V	E7	E G# B D	`x 2 5 4`
V	E7	E G# B D	`7 2 2 7`
V	E7	E G# B D	`7 2 5 4`
VI	F#m7b5	F# A C E	`2 2 3 0`
VI	F#m7b5	F# A C E	`2 2 3 5`
VII	G#m7b5	G# B D F#	`4 4 5 2`
VII	G#m7b5	G# B D F#	`4 4 5 7`

Ninth Chords

Chords

Degree	Chord	Notes	Fingering (low to high)
I	Am(maj9)	A C E G# B	`1 2 2 x`
I	Am(maj9)	A C E G# B	`2 2 2 x`
I	Am(maj9)	A C E G# B	`4 2 0 4`
I	Am(maj9)	A C E G# B	`4 2 0 x`
II	Bm7b9	B D F# A C	`x 0 3 2`
II	Bm7b9	B D F# A C	`2 0 3 2`
III	Cmaj9#5	C E G# B D	`x 2 5 4`
III	Cmaj9#5	C E G# B D	`4 2 5 4`
IV	D9	D F# A C E	`x 0 0 0`
IV	D9	D F# A C E	`x 2 0 2`
IV	D9	D F# A C E	`x 0 3 0`
IV	D9	D F# A C E	`2 0 3 0`
V	E9	E G# B D F#	`1 0 2 2`
V	E9	E G# B D F#	`x 0 2 2`
V	E9	E G# B D F#	`x 2 2 2`
V	E9	E G# B D F#	`x 4 2 0`
VI	F#m9b5	F# A C E G#	`x 6 9 8`
VII	G#m7b5b9	G# B D F# A	`1 0 0 x`
VII	G#m7b5b9	G# B D F# A	`1 0 0 2`
VII	G#m7b5b9	G# B D F# A	`x 0 0 2`
VII	G#m7b5b9	G# B D F# A	`2 0 2 2`

Triads

Chords

Degree	Chord	Notes	Fingering (low to high)
I	Am	A C E	`2 2 3 x`
I	Am	A C E	`5 2 0 x`
I	Am	A C E	`x 2 3 5`
I	Am	A C E	`x 7 3 0`
II	Bm	B D F#	`x 0 2 2`
II	Bm	B D F#	`4 4 5 x`
II	Bm	B D F#	`7 4 2 x`
II	Bm	B D F#	`x 4 5 7`
III	Caug	C E G#	`1 2 3 x`
III	Caug	C E G#	`x 2 3 4`
III	Caug	C E G#	`x 6 3 0`
III	Caug	C E G#	`5 6 7 x`
IV	D	D F# A	`x 0 0 2`
IV	D	D F# A	`2 4 5 x`
IV	D	D F# A	`x 4 5 5`
IV	D	D F# A	`7 4 0 x`
V	E	E G# B	`1 2 2 x`
V	E	E G# B	`x 2 2 4`
V	E	E G# B	`x 6 2 0`
V	E	E G# B	`4 6 7 x`
VI	F#dim	F# A C	`2 4 3 x`
VI	F#dim	F# A C	`5 4 0 x`
VI	F#dim	F# A C	`x 4 3 5`
VI	F#dim	F# A C	`x 7 3 2`
VII	G#dim	G# B D	`1 0 2 x`
VII	G#dim	G# B D	`x 0 2 4`
VII	G#dim	G# B D	`4 6 5 x`
VII	G#dim	G# B D	`7 6 2 x`
I	Am(maj7)	A C E G#	`1 2 0 x`
I	Am(maj7)	A C E G#	`1 2 3 x`
I	Am(maj7)	A C E G#	`x 2 0 4`
I	Am(maj7)	A C E G#	`x 2 3 4`
II	Bm7	B D F# A	`x 9 12 10`
III	Cmaj7#5	C E G# B	`1 2 2 x`
III	Cmaj7#5	C E G# B	`x 2 2 4`
III	Cmaj7#5	C E G# B	`4 2 3 x`
III	Cmaj7#5	C E G# B	`5 2 2 x`
IV	D7	D F# A C	`x 0 3 2`
V	E7	E G# B D	`x 2 5 4`
VI	F#m7b5	F# A C E	`x 2 0 2`
VI	F#m7b5	F# A C E	`2 2 3 x`
VI	F#m7b5	F# A C E	`x 2 3 2`
VI	F#m7b5	F# A C E	`x 4 0 0`
VII	G#m7b5	G# B D F#	`x 0 2 2`
VII	G#m7b5	G# B D F#	`1 4 2 x`
VII	G#m7b5	G# B D F#	`x 4 2 4`
VII	G#m7b5	G# B D F#	`1 4 5 x`
I	Am(maj9)	A C E G# B	`1 2 2 x`
I	Am(maj9)	A C E G# B	`2 2 2 x`
I	Am(maj9)	A C E G# B	`4 2 0 x`
I	Am(maj9)	A C E G# B	`x 2 2 4`
II	Bm7b9	B D F# A C	`x 0 3 2`
III	Cmaj9#5	C E G# B D	`x 2 5 4`
IV	D9	D F# A C E	`x 0 0 0`
IV	D9	D F# A C E	`x 2 0 2`
IV	D9	D F# A C E	`x 0 3 0`
IV	D9	D F# A C E	`2 2 3 x`
V	E9	E G# B D F#	`x 0 2 2`
V	E9	E G# B D F#	`x 2 2 2`
V	E9	E G# B D F#	`x 4 2 0`
V	E9	E G# B D F#	`1 4 2 x`
VI	F#m9b5	F# A C E G#	`x 6 9 8`
VII	G#m7b5b9	G# B D F# A	`1 0 0 x`
VII	G#m7b5b9	G# B D F# A	`x 0 0 2`
VII	G#m7b5b9	G# B D F# A	`2 0 2 x`
VII	G#m7b5b9	G# B D F# A	`1 4 0 x`

Progressions

Crosspicking (Forward)

Chords: Am – Bm – Caug – D – E – F#dim – G#dim

E|0-------------------------------|2-------------------------------|
A|3-------3-----------3-----------|5-------5-----------5-----------|
D|2---2-----------2-----------2---|4---4-----------4-----------4---|
G|2-----------2-----------2-------|4-----------4-----------4-------|

E|--------------------------------|2-------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------|0-------0-----------0-----------|
D|2---2-----------2-----------2---|0---0-----------0-----------0---|
G|1-----------1-----------1-------|2-----------2-----------2-------|

E|4-------------------------------|2-------------------------------|
A|2-------2-----------2-----------|3-------3-----------3-----------|
D|2---2-----------2-----------2---|4---4-----------4-----------4---|
G|4-----------4-----------4-------|2-----------2-----------2-------|

E|4-------------------------------|
A|5-------5-----------5-----------|
D|6---6-----------6-----------6---|
G|4-----------4-----------4-------|

Crosspicking (Reverse)

Chords: Am – Bm – Caug – D – E – F#dim – G#dim

E|0-------------------------------|2-------------------------------|
A|3-----------3-----------3-------|5-----------5-----------5-------|
D|2---2-----------2-----------2---|4---4-----------4-----------4---|
G|2-------2-----------2-----------|4-------4-----------4-----------|

E|--------------------------------|2-------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------|0-----------0-----------0-------|
D|2---2-----------2-----------2---|0---0-----------0-----------0---|
G|1-------1-----------1-----------|2-------2-----------2-----------|

E|4-------------------------------|2-------------------------------|
A|2-----------2-----------2-------|3-----------3-----------3-------|
D|2---2-----------2-----------2---|4---4-----------4-----------4---|
G|4-------4-----------4-----------|2-------2-----------2-----------|

E|4-------------------------------|
A|5-----------5-----------5-------|
D|6---6-----------6-----------6---|
G|4-------4-----------4-----------|

Crosspicking 3-3-2 (Shuffler)

Chords: Am – Bm – Caug – D – E – F#dim – G#dim

E|0-------0-----------0-----------|2-------2-----------2-----------|
A|3---3-----------3-----------3---|5---5-----------5-----------5---|
D|2-----------2-----------2-------|4-----------4-----------4-------|
G|2-------------------------------|4-------------------------------|

E|--------------------------------|2-------2-----------2-----------|
A|--------------------------------|0---0-----------0-----------0---|
D|2-----------2-----------2-------|0-----------0-----------0-------|
G|1-------------------------------|2-------------------------------|

E|4-------4-----------4-----------|2-------2-----------2-----------|
A|2---2-----------2-----------2---|3---3-----------3-----------3---|
D|2-----------2-----------2-------|4-----------4-----------4-------|
G|4-------------------------------|2-------------------------------|

E|4-------4-----------4-----------|
A|5---5-----------5-----------5---|
D|6-----------6-----------6-------|
G|4-------------------------------|

Crosspicking (McReynolds 3-1-2)

Chords: Am – Bm – Caug – D – E – F#dim – G#dim

E|0---0-----------0-----------0---|2---2-----------2-----------2---|
A|3-------3-----------3-----------|5-------5-----------5-----------|
D|2-----------2-----------2-------|4-----------4-----------4-------|
G|2-------------------------------|4-------------------------------|

E|--------------------------------|2---2-----------2-----------2---|
A|--------------------------------|0-------0-----------0-----------|
D|2-----------2-----------2-------|0-----------0-----------0-------|
G|1-------------------------------|2-------------------------------|

E|4---4-----------4-----------4---|2---2-----------2-----------2---|
A|2-------2-----------2-----------|3-------3-----------3-----------|
D|2-----------2-----------2-------|4-----------4-----------4-------|
G|4-------------------------------|2-------------------------------|

E|4---4-----------4-----------4---|
A|5-------5-----------5-----------|
D|6-----------6-----------6-------|
G|4-------------------------------|

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