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

The E 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: E F# G A B C# D#

Notes coming down: E D C B A G F#

Tuning: Standard (G D A E)

Scales

Scale shapes

4NPS - Third Position

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

Coming down

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

4NPS - Fourth Position

E|--2---3---5---7-|
A|--2---4---6---7-|
D|--2---4---5---7-|
G|--2---4---6---8-|

Coming down

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

4NPS - Fifth Position

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

Coming down

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

Exercises

Basic Chords

Chords

Degree	Chord	Notes	Fingering (low to high)
I	Em	E G B	`0 2 2 0`
I	Em	E G B	`4 2 2 3`
I	Em	E G B	`0 2 2 3`
I	Em	E G B	`9 9 10 7`
II	F#m	F# A C#	`2 4 4 2`
II	F#m	F# A C#	`6 4 4 5`
II	F#m	F# A C#	`2 4 4 5`
II	F#m	F# A C#	`11 11 12 9`
III	Gaug	G B D#	`0 1 x x`
III	Gaug	G B D#	`0 1 2 x`
III	Gaug	G B D#	`x 1 2 x`
III	Gaug	G B D#	`0 1 2 3`
IV	A	A C# E	`2 2 4 5`
IV	A	A C# E	`6 7 7 5`
IV	A	A C# E	`6 2 4 5`
IV	A	A C# E	`9 7 4 5`
V	B	B D# F#	`4 1 2 2`
V	B	B D# F#	`4 4 6 7`
V	B	B D# F#	`8 9 9 7`
V	B	B D# F#	`8 4 6 7`
VI	C#dim	C# E G	`9 11 10 9`
VI	C#dim	C# E G	`12 11 7 9`
VII	D#dim	D# F# A	`11 13 12 11`
VII	D#dim	D# F# A	`14 13 9 11`

Seventh Chords

Chords

Degree	Chord	Notes	Fingering (low to high)
I	Em(maj7)	E G B D#	`0 1 2 0`
I	Em(maj7)	E G B D#	`0 1 2 x`
I	Em(maj7)	E G B D#	`x 1 2 0`
I	Em(maj7)	E G B D#	`0 1 2 3`
II	F#m7	F# A C# E	`2 2 4 5`
II	F#m7	F# A C# E	`6 2 4 5`
II	F#m7	F# A C# E	`x 4 7 5`
II	F#m7	F# A C# E	`6 7 7 5`
III	Gmaj7#5	G B D# F#	`4 4 6 7`
III	Gmaj7#5	G B D# F#	`8 4 6 7`
III	Gmaj7#5	G B D# F#	`8 9 9 7`
III	Gmaj7#5	G B D# F#	`11 9 9 11`
IV	A7	A C# E G	`2 2 0 3`
IV	A7	A C# E G	`2 2 4 3`
IV	A7	A C# E G	`2 5 4 3`
IV	A7	A C# E G	`2 5 4 5`
V	B7	B D# F# A	`4 4 2 5`
V	B7	B D# F# A	`4 4 6 5`
V	B7	B D# F# A	`4 7 6 5`
V	B7	B D# F# A	`4 7 6 7`
VI	C#m7b5	C# E G B	`9 9 10 7`
VI	C#m7b5	C# E G B	`9 9 10 12`
VII	D#m7b5	D# F# A C#	`11 11 12 9`
VII	D#m7b5	D# F# A C#	`11 11 12 14`

Ninth Chords

Chords

Degree	Chord	Notes	Fingering (low to high)
I	Em(maj9)	E G B D# F#	`0 1 2 2`
I	Em(maj9)	E G B D# F#	`x 1 2 2`
I	Em(maj9)	E G B D# F#	`x 2 2 2`
I	Em(maj9)	E G B D# F#	`0 4 2 x`
II	F#m7b9	F# A C# E G	`x 7 10 9`
II	F#m7b9	F# A C# E G	`9 7 10 9`
III	Gmaj9#5	G B D# F# A	`x 9 12 11`
III	Gmaj9#5	G B D# F# A	`11 9 12 11`
IV	A9	A C# E G B	`0 2 2 x`
IV	A9	A C# E G B	`2 2 2 x`
IV	A9	A C# E G B	`2 2 2 3`
IV	A9	A C# E G B	`x 2 2 3`
V	B9	B D# F# A C#	`4 1 4 x`
V	B9	B D# F# A C#	`x 1 4 2`
V	B9	B D# F# A C#	`2 1 4 2`
V	B9	B D# F# A C#	`2 1 4 x`
VI	C#m9b5	C# E G B D#	`x 1 4 3`
VII	D#m7b5b9	D# F# A C# E	`x 1 0 0`
VII	D#m7b5b9	D# F# A C# E	`x 2 0 2`
VII	D#m7b5b9	D# F# A C# E	`x 1 4 0`
VII	D#m7b5b9	D# F# A C# E	`x 4 0 0`

Triads

Chords

Degree	Chord	Notes	Fingering (low to high)
I	Em	E G B	`0 2 2 x`
I	Em	E G B	`x 2 2 3`
I	Em	E G B	`x 5 2 0`
I	Em	E G B	`4 5 7 x`
II	F#m	F# A C#	`2 4 4 x`
II	F#m	F# A C#	`x 4 4 5`
II	F#m	F# A C#	`6 4 0 x`
II	F#m	F# A C#	`x 7 4 2`
III	Gaug	G B D#	`0 1 2 x`
III	Gaug	G B D#	`x 1 2 3`
III	Gaug	G B D#	`4 5 6 x`
III	Gaug	G B D#	`x 5 6 7`
IV	A	A C# E	`2 2 4 x`
IV	A	A C# E	`x 2 4 5`
IV	A	A C# E	`6 2 0 x`
IV	A	A C# E	`x 7 4 0`
V	B	B D# F#	`x 1 2 2`
V	B	B D# F#	`4 4 6 x`
V	B	B D# F#	`x 4 6 7`
V	B	B D# F#	`8 9 9 x`
VI	C#dim	C# E G	`0 2 4 x`
VI	C#dim	C# E G	`x 2 4 3`
VI	C#dim	C# E G	`x 5 4 0`
VI	C#dim	C# E G	`6 5 7 x`
VII	D#dim	D# F# A	`x 1 0 2`
VII	D#dim	D# F# A	`2 4 6 x`
VII	D#dim	D# F# A	`x 4 6 5`
VII	D#dim	D# F# A	`x 7 6 2`
I	Em(maj7)	E G B D#	`0 1 2 x`
I	Em(maj7)	E G B D#	`x 1 2 0`
I	Em(maj7)	E G B D#	`x 1 2 3`
I	Em(maj7)	E G B D#	`0 2 6 x`
II	F#m7	F# A C# E	`x 4 7 5`
III	Gmaj7#5	G B D# F#	`x 1 2 2`
III	Gmaj7#5	G B D# F#	`0 4 2 x`
III	Gmaj7#5	G B D# F#	`x 4 2 3`
III	Gmaj7#5	G B D# F#	`x 5 2 2`
IV	A7	A C# E G	`x 7 10 9`
V	B7	B D# F# A	`x 9 12 11`
VI	C#m7b5	C# E G B	`0 2 2 x`
VI	C#m7b5	C# E G B	`x 2 2 3`
VI	C#m7b5	C# E G B	`4 2 4 x`
VI	C#m7b5	C# E G B	`x 5 2 0`
VII	D#m7b5	D# F# A C#	`x 1 4 2`
VII	D#m7b5	D# F# A C#	`2 1 4 x`
VII	D#m7b5	D# F# A C#	`2 4 4 x`
VII	D#m7b5	D# F# A C#	`x 1 4 5`
I	Em(maj9)	E G B D# F#	`x 1 2 2`
I	Em(maj9)	E G B D# F#	`x 2 2 2`
I	Em(maj9)	E G B D# F#	`0 4 2 x`
I	Em(maj9)	E G B D# F#	`x 4 2 0`
II	F#m7b9	F# A C# E G	`x 7 10 9`
III	Gmaj9#5	G B D# F# A	`x 9 12 11`
IV	A9	A C# E G B	`0 2 2 x`
IV	A9	A C# E G B	`2 2 2 x`
IV	A9	A C# E G B	`x 2 2 3`
IV	A9	A C# E G B	`4 2 0 x`
V	B9	B D# F# A C#	`4 1 4 x`
V	B9	B D# F# A C#	`x 1 4 2`
V	B9	B D# F# A C#	`2 1 4 x`
V	B9	B D# F# A C#	`2 4 4 x`
VI	C#m9b5	C# E G B D#	`x 1 4 3`
VII	D#m7b5b9	D# F# A C# E	`x 1 0 0`
VII	D#m7b5b9	D# F# A C# E	`x 2 0 2`
VII	D#m7b5b9	D# F# A C# E	`x 1 4 0`
VII	D#m7b5b9	D# F# A C# E	`x 4 0 0`

Progressions

Crosspicking (Forward)

Chords: Em – F#m – Gaug – A – B – C#dim – D#dim

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

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

E|2-------------------------------|9-------------------------------|
A|2-------2-----------2-----------|10------10----------10----------|
D|1---1-----------1-----------1---|11--11----------11----------11--|
G|4-----------4-----------4-------|9-----------9-----------9-------|

E|11------------------------------|
A|12------12----------12----------|
D|13--13----------13----------13--|
G|11----------11----------11------|

Crosspicking (Reverse)

Chords: Em – F#m – Gaug – A – B – C#dim – D#dim

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

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

E|2-------------------------------|9-------------------------------|
A|2-----------2-----------2-------|10----------10----------10------|
D|1---1-----------1-----------1---|11--11----------11----------11--|
G|4-------4-----------4-----------|9-------9-----------9-----------|

E|11------------------------------|
A|12----------12----------12------|
D|13--13----------13----------13--|
G|11------11----------11----------|

Crosspicking 3-3-2 (Shuffler)

Chords: Em – F#m – Gaug – A – B – C#dim – D#dim

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

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

E|2-------2-----------2-----------|9-------9-----------9-----------|
A|2---2-----------2-----------2---|10--10----------10----------10--|
D|1-----------1-----------1-------|11----------11----------11------|
G|4-------------------------------|9-------------------------------|

E|11------11----------11----------|
A|12--12----------12----------12--|
D|13----------13----------13------|
G|11------------------------------|

Crosspicking (McReynolds 3-1-2)

Chords: Em – F#m – Gaug – A – B – C#dim – D#dim

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

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

E|2---2-----------2-----------2---|9---9-----------9-----------9---|
A|2-------2-----------2-----------|10------10----------10----------|
D|1-----------1-----------1-------|11----------11----------11------|
G|4-------------------------------|9-------------------------------|

E|11--11----------11----------11--|
A|12------12----------12----------|
D|13----------13----------13------|
G|11------------------------------|

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