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

The F 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: F G Ab Bb C D E

Notes coming down: F D# Db C Bb Ab G

Tuning: Standard (G D A E)

Scales

Scale shapes

4NPS - Third Position

E|--1---3---4---6-|
A|--1---3---5---7-|
D|--2---3---5---6-|
G|--1---3---5---7-|

Coming down

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

4NPS - Fourth Position

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

Coming down

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

4NPS - Fifth Position

E|--4---6---8--10-|
A|--5---7---8--10-|
D|--5---6---8--10-|
G|--5---7---9--10-|

Coming down

E|--4---6---8---9-|
A|--4---6---8--10-|
D|--5---6---8--10-|
G|--5---6---8--10-|

Exercises

Basic Chords

Chords

Degree	Chord	Notes	Fingering (low to high)
I	Fm	F Ab C	`1 3 3 1`
I	Fm	F Ab C	`5 3 3 4`
I	Fm	F Ab C	`1 3 3 4`
I	Fm	F Ab C	`10 10 11 8`
II	Gm	G Bb D	`3 5 5 3`
II	Gm	G Bb D	`0 0 1 3`
II	Gm	G Bb D	`3 0 1 3`
II	Gm	G Bb D	`7 5 5 6`
III	Abaug	Ab C E	`1 2 x x`
III	Abaug	Ab C E	`1 2 3 0`
III	Abaug	Ab C E	`x x 3 0`
III	Abaug	Ab C E	`1 2 3 x`
IV	Bb	Bb D F	`3 0 1 1`
IV	Bb	Bb D F	`3 3 5 6`
IV	Bb	Bb D F	`7 8 8 6`
IV	Bb	Bb D F	`7 3 5 6`
V	C	C E G	`0 2 3 0`
V	C	C E G	`0 2 3 3`
V	C	C E G	`5 2 3 3`
V	C	C E G	`5 5 7 8`
VI	Ddim	D F Ab	`10 12 11 10`
VI	Ddim	D F Ab	`13 12 8 10`
VII	Edim	E G Bb	`0 2 1 0`
VII	Edim	E G Bb	`15 14 10 12`

Seventh Chords

Chords

Degree	Chord	Notes	Fingering (low to high)
I	Fm(maj7)	F Ab C E	`x 3 3 0`
I	Fm(maj7)	F Ab C E	`1 2 3 0`
I	Fm(maj7)	F Ab C E	`1 3 3 0`
I	Fm(maj7)	F Ab C E	`1 2 3 1`
II	Gm7	G Bb D F	`0 0 1 1`
II	Gm7	G Bb D F	`3 3 5 6`
II	Gm7	G Bb D F	`7 3 5 6`
II	Gm7	G Bb D F	`x 5 8 6`
III	Abmaj7#5	Ab C E G	`0 2 3 0`
III	Abmaj7#5	Ab C E G	`0 2 3 3`
III	Abmaj7#5	Ab C E G	`5 5 7 8`
III	Abmaj7#5	Ab C E G	`9 5 7 8`
IV	Bb7	Bb D F Ab	`3 3 1 4`
IV	Bb7	Bb D F Ab	`3 3 5 4`
IV	Bb7	Bb D F Ab	`3 6 5 4`
IV	Bb7	Bb D F Ab	`3 6 5 6`
V	C7	C E G Bb	`5 5 3 6`
V	C7	C E G Bb	`5 5 7 6`
V	C7	C E G Bb	`5 8 7 6`
V	C7	C E G Bb	`5 8 7 8`
VI	Dm7b5	D F Ab C	`10 10 11 8`
VI	Dm7b5	D F Ab C	`10 10 11 13`
VII	Em7b5	E G Bb D	`0 0 1 3`
VII	Em7b5	E G Bb D	`12 12 13 10`

Ninth Chords

Chords

Degree	Chord	Notes	Fingering (low to high)
I	Fm(maj9)	F Ab C E G	`0 2 3 1`
I	Fm(maj9)	F Ab C E G	`0 3 3 0`
I	Fm(maj9)	F Ab C E G	`0 2 3 x`
I	Fm(maj9)	F Ab C E G	`0 3 3 x`
II	Gm7b9	G Bb D F Ab	`x 8 11 10`
II	Gm7b9	G Bb D F Ab	`10 8 11 10`
III	Abmaj9#5	Ab C E G Bb	`x 10 13 12`
III	Abmaj9#5	Ab C E G Bb	`12 10 13 12`
IV	Bb9	Bb D F Ab C	`3 0 3 x`
IV	Bb9	Bb D F Ab C	`x 0 3 1`
IV	Bb9	Bb D F Ab C	`1 0 3 1`
IV	Bb9	Bb D F Ab C	`1 0 3 x`
V	C9	C E G Bb D	`0 0 1 0`
V	C9	C E G Bb D	`0 0 1 x`
V	C9	C E G Bb D	`x 0 1 0`
V	C9	C E G Bb D	`0 0 3 x`
VI	Dm9b5	D F Ab C E	`x 2 5 4`
VII	Em7b5b9	E G Bb D F	`0 0 1 1`
VII	Em7b5b9	E G Bb D F	`x 0 1 1`
VII	Em7b5b9	E G Bb D F	`x 2 1 1`
VII	Em7b5b9	E G Bb D F	`0 3 1 x`

Triads

Chords

Degree	Chord	Notes	Fingering (low to high)
I	Fm	F Ab C	`1 3 3 x`
I	Fm	F Ab C	`x 3 3 4`
I	Fm	F Ab C	`x 6 3 1`
I	Fm	F Ab C	`5 6 8 x`
II	Gm	G Bb D	`0 0 1 x`
II	Gm	G Bb D	`x 0 1 3`
II	Gm	G Bb D	`3 5 5 x`
II	Gm	G Bb D	`x 5 5 6`
III	Abaug	Ab C E	`1 2 3 x`
III	Abaug	Ab C E	`x 2 3 4`
III	Abaug	Ab C E	`x 6 3 0`
III	Abaug	Ab C E	`5 6 7 x`
IV	Bb	Bb D F	`x 0 1 1`
IV	Bb	Bb D F	`3 3 5 x`
IV	Bb	Bb D F	`x 3 5 6`
IV	Bb	Bb D F	`3 0 8 x`
V	C	C E G	`0 2 3 x`
V	C	C E G	`x 2 3 3`
V	C	C E G	`x 5 3 0`
V	C	C E G	`5 5 7 x`
VI	Ddim	D F Ab	`1 3 5 x`
VI	Ddim	D F Ab	`x 3 5 4`
VI	Ddim	D F Ab	`x 6 5 1`
VI	Ddim	D F Ab	`7 6 8 x`
VII	Edim	E G Bb	`0 2 1 x`
VII	Edim	E G Bb	`x 2 1 3`
VII	Edim	E G Bb	`x 5 1 0`
VII	Edim	E G Bb	`3 5 7 x`
I	Fm(maj7)	F Ab C E	`x 3 3 0`
I	Fm(maj7)	F Ab C E	`1 2 3 x`
I	Fm(maj7)	F Ab C E	`x 2 3 1`
I	Fm(maj7)	F Ab C E	`x 2 3 4`
II	Gm7	G Bb D F	`x 5 8 6`
III	Abmaj7#5	Ab C E G	`0 2 3 x`
III	Abmaj7#5	Ab C E G	`x 2 3 3`
III	Abmaj7#5	Ab C E G	`x 5 3 0`
III	Abmaj7#5	Ab C E G	`1 5 3 x`
IV	Bb7	Bb D F Ab	`x 8 11 10`
V	C7	C E G Bb	`x 10 13 12`
VI	Dm7b5	D F Ab C	`x 0 3 1`
VI	Dm7b5	D F Ab C	`1 0 3 x`
VI	Dm7b5	D F Ab C	`1 3 3 x`
VI	Dm7b5	D F Ab C	`x 0 3 4`
VII	Em7b5	E G Bb D	`0 0 1 x`
VII	Em7b5	E G Bb D	`x 0 1 0`
VII	Em7b5	E G Bb D	`x 0 1 3`
VII	Em7b5	E G Bb D	`0 2 5 x`
I	Fm(maj9)	F Ab C E G	`0 2 3 x`
I	Fm(maj9)	F Ab C E G	`0 3 3 x`
I	Fm(maj9)	F Ab C E G	`x 2 3 3`
I	Fm(maj9)	F Ab C E G	`x 3 3 3`
II	Gm7b9	G Bb D F Ab	`x 8 11 10`
III	Abmaj9#5	Ab C E G Bb	`x 10 13 12`
IV	Bb9	Bb D F Ab C	`3 0 3 x`
IV	Bb9	Bb D F Ab C	`x 0 3 1`
IV	Bb9	Bb D F Ab C	`1 0 3 x`
IV	Bb9	Bb D F Ab C	`1 3 3 x`
V	C9	C E G Bb D	`0 0 1 x`
V	C9	C E G Bb D	`x 0 1 0`
V	C9	C E G Bb D	`0 0 3 x`
V	C9	C E G Bb D	`3 0 3 x`
VI	Dm9b5	D F Ab C E	`x 2 5 4`
VII	Em7b5b9	E G Bb D F	`x 0 1 1`
VII	Em7b5b9	E G Bb D F	`x 2 1 1`
VII	Em7b5b9	E G Bb D F	`0 3 1 x`
VII	Em7b5b9	E G Bb D F	`x 3 1 0`

Progressions

Crosspicking (Forward)

Chords: Fm – Gm – Abaug – Bb – C – Ddim – Edim

E|1-------------------------------|3-------------------------------|
A|3-------3-----------3-----------|5-------5-----------5-----------|
D|3---3-----------3-----------3---|5---5-----------5-----------5---|
G|1-----------1-----------1-------|3-----------3-----------3-------|

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

E|0-------------------------------|10------------------------------|
A|3-------3-----------3-----------|11------11----------11----------|
D|2---2-----------2-----------2---|12--12----------12----------12--|
G|0-----------0-----------0-------|10----------10----------10------|

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

Crosspicking (Reverse)

Chords: Fm – Gm – Abaug – Bb – C – Ddim – Edim

E|1-------------------------------|3-------------------------------|
A|3-----------3-----------3-------|5-----------5-----------5-------|
D|3---3-----------3-----------3---|5---5-----------5-----------5---|
G|1-------1-----------1-----------|3-------3-----------3-----------|

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

E|0-------------------------------|10------------------------------|
A|3-----------3-----------3-------|11----------11----------11------|
D|2---2-----------2-----------2---|12--12----------12----------12--|
G|0-------0-----------0-----------|10------10----------10----------|

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

Crosspicking 3-3-2 (Shuffler)

Chords: Fm – Gm – Abaug – Bb – C – Ddim – Edim

E|1-------1-----------1-----------|3-------3-----------3-----------|
A|3---3-----------3-----------3---|5---5-----------5-----------5---|
D|3-----------3-----------3-------|5-----------5-----------5-------|
G|1-------------------------------|3-------------------------------|

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

E|0-------0-----------0-----------|10------10----------10----------|
A|3---3-----------3-----------3---|11--11----------11----------11--|
D|2-----------2-----------2-------|12----------12----------12------|
G|0-------------------------------|10------------------------------|

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

Crosspicking (McReynolds 3-1-2)

Chords: Fm – Gm – Abaug – Bb – C – Ddim – Edim

E|1---1-----------1-----------1---|3---3-----------3-----------3---|
A|3-------3-----------3-----------|5-------5-----------5-----------|
D|3-----------3-----------3-------|5-----------5-----------5-------|
G|1-------------------------------|3-------------------------------|

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

E|0---0-----------0-----------0---|10--10----------10----------10--|
A|3-------3-----------3-----------|11------11----------11----------|
D|2-----------2-----------2-------|12----------12----------12------|
G|0-------------------------------|10------------------------------|

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

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