E flat melodic minor scale on cavaquinho

The E flat melodic minor scale has 7 notes: E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C D (E flat, F, G flat, A flat, B flat, C, and D).

E♭ E flat 1
F 2
G♭ G flat ♭3
A♭ A flat 4
B♭ B flat 5
C 6
D 7

BPM

Rhythm Metronome

E flat melodic minor scale on cavaquinho: the whole fretboard with the notes Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, C, D, from fret 0 to 17

Whole neck: every note of the scale up to fret 17. The root (E♭) is highlighted.

Positions as text

Position 1 (frets 1 to 5), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 4: 1 (E♭), 3 (F), 4 (G♭)
string 3: 1 (A♭), 3 (B♭), 5 (C)
string 2: 3 (D), 4 (E♭)
string 1: 3 (F), 4 (G♭)

Position 2 (frets 3 to 7), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 4: 3 (F), 4 (G♭), 6 (A♭)
string 3: 3 (B♭), 5 (C), 7 (D)
string 2: 4 (E♭), 6 (F), 7 (G♭)
string 1: 6 (A♭)

Position 3 (frets 4 to 8), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 4: 4 (G♭), 6 (A♭), 8 (B♭)
string 3: 5 (C), 7 (D), 8 (E♭)
string 2: 6 (F), 7 (G♭)
string 1: 6 (A♭), 8 (B♭)

Position 4 (frets 6 to 10), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 4: 6 (A♭), 8 (B♭), 10 (C)
string 3: 7 (D), 8 (E♭), 10 (F)
string 2: 7 (G♭), 9 (A♭)
string 1: 8 (B♭), 10 (C)

Position 5 (frets 8 to 12), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 4: 8 (B♭), 10 (C), 12 (D)
string 3: 8 (E♭), 10 (F), 11 (G♭)
string 2: 9 (A♭), 11 (B♭)
string 1: 10 (C), 12 (D)

Position 6 (frets 10 to 13), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 4: 10 (C), 12 (D), 13 (E♭)
string 3: 10 (F), 11 (G♭), 13 (A♭)
string 2: 11 (B♭), 13 (C)
string 1: 12 (D), 13 (E♭)

Position 7 (frets 11 to 16), from the lowest note to the highest:

string 4: 12 (D), 13 (E♭), 15 (F)
string 3: 11 (G♭), 13 (A♭), 15 (B♭)
string 2: 13 (C), 15 (D), 16 (E♭)
string 1: 15 (F), 16 (G♭)

Fretboard positions

Each position fits within 5 frets, with 2 to 3 notes per string, and starts on a scale note on the lowest string. Position 1 starts on the root (E flat).

On the cavaquinho the strings sit close together in pitch, and the 3-notes-per-string shape from the guitar would turn into a 7-fret stretch. That is why each position here fits within 5 frets.

Use Degrees to see the role of each note (1 is the root) and Listen to hear the selected position going up and down.

Formula

E♭
W
F
H
G♭
W
A♭
W
B♭
W
C
W
D
H
E♭

Degrees: 1 · 2 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7. Steps: W – H – W – W – W – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step).

About the melodic minor scale

Minor with major 6th and 7th (the jazz form). A minor sound, but bright.

Harmonized scale (chords in the key)

The chords that come from the scale, stacking thirds from each note.

Degree	Triad	Seventh chord	Function
Im	E♭m	E♭m(7M)	tonic
IIm	Fm	Fm7	subdominant
III+	G♭+	G♭7M(#5)	tonic
IV	A♭	A♭7	subdominant
V	B♭	B♭7	dominant
VI°	C°	Cm7(b5)	subdominant
VII°	D°	Dm7(b5)	dominant

Scales with the same notes

A♭ Nordestina (Brazilian baião)

More E flat scales

Melodic minor in other keys

Frequently asked questions

What are the notes of the E flat melodic minor scale?

The notes of the E flat melodic minor scale are E flat, F, G flat, A flat, B flat, C, and D. The root, degree 1, is E flat.

What is the formula of the E flat melodic minor scale?

In degrees: 1 · 2 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7. In steps between the notes: W – H – W – W – W – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step).

How do you play the E flat melodic minor scale on cavaquinho?

Each position fits within 5 frets, with 2 to 3 notes per string, and starts on a scale note on the lowest string. Position 1 starts on the root (E flat). There are 7 positions on cavaquinho, each with the full fingering.

Which chords belong to the E flat melodic minor scale?

The chords of the harmonized scale are: E♭m, Fm, G♭+, A♭, B♭, C°, D°.

On other instruments

All scales on cavaquinho