D# Melodic Minor Guitar Scale
Guitar scale in Open G tuning — fretboard diagram
D# Melodic Minor in Open G — Notes and Intervals
The D# Melodic Minor scale, often called the Jazz Minor, offers a more sophisticated and fluid sound than the natural minor. On Guitar, it contains the notes D#, F, F#, G#, A#, C, D. 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 D# Melodic Minor are D#m6, Fm7, F#+maj7, G#7, A#7, Cm7b5, Dm7b5. 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: D#, F, F#, G#, A#, C, D
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: Open G (D-G-D-G-B-D)
Diatonic Chords
D♯m6 — Fm7 — F♯+maj7 — G♯7 — A♯7 — Cm7♭5 — Dm7♭5
About Open G Tuning
Open G tuning (D-G-D-G-B-D) produces a G major chord when strummed open, making it the definitive tuning for slide guitar and delta blues. The tuning's natural consonance means that barring across any fret gives you a major chord, which is why it's been the backbone of blues and roots music for over a century.
From Robert Johnson to Keith Richards, Open G has shaped some of the most iconic music ever recorded. Keith Richards famously removes the low 6th string entirely in this tuning, creating his signature five-string sound on songs like 'Start Me Up' and 'Brown Sugar'. For slide players, Open G is essential — it allows clean, singing slide lines across all strings with minimal effort.
Notable artists: Keith Richards, Robert Johnson, Ry Cooder, Joni Mitchell, The Black Crowes
Best for: Slide guitar, delta blues, Keith Richards-style rock riffs, and open-string fingerpicking
Musical Character
In jazz, only the ascending form is used (1, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6, 7). It is the parent scale for seven crucial modes including the Altered scale and Lydian Dominant.
Chord Progressions Using This Scale
- vi – viM7 – vi7 – II (Descending Minor Cliché)Classical / Pop — Romance & Intrigue