Melodic Minor Scale

Much of jazz harmony is based on the Melodic Minor Scale, one difference being that the "descending" version of the scale used in classical harmony is not used. The modes of the (ascending) melodic minor scale are the basis for much of jazz improvisation and are variously named as below, using the key of C-minor as an example:

Melodic minor scale tone		Characteristic chord in C-minor		Scale Tones (chord tones in bold)		Scale Name(s)
Ⅰ - C		Cm(∆)		C D Eb F G A B		melodic minor
Ⅱ - D		Dm7sus(♭9)		D Eb F G A B C		Phrygian ♯6 or Dorian ♭2
Ⅲ - E♭		E♭∆(♯5)		Eb F G A B C D		Lydian b5
Ⅳ - F		F7(♯11)		F G A B C D Eb		Mixolydian ♯4
Ⅴ - G		G(-6)		G A B C D E♭ F		Mixolydian ♭6 or "Hindu"
Ⅵ - A		A∅		A B C D E♭ F G		Locrian ♯2
Ⅶ - B		B7(alt)		B C D E♭ F G A		Altered, diminished whole tone, or Locrian ♭4

The Ⅶ chord in particular is rich with alterations. As it contains the notes and alterations (Ⅰ, ♭9, m3/♯9, ♭11, ♭5/♯11, ♭13, m7), it is particularly important in the jazz harmonic idiom, notably as a Ⅴ chord in a minor key. For our example key of C-minor, the V chord is G7, so the improviser would draw upon the G7 altered scale (mode Ⅶ of the Ab melodic minor). A complete ⅱ-Ⅴ-ⅰ progression in C-minor might suggest the following:

ii		D∅		D Locrian ♯2 (mode Ⅵ of the F melodic minor scale)
V		G7(alt)		G altered scale (mode Ⅶ of the A♭ melodic minor scale)
I		Cm(∆)		C melodic minor (mode Ⅰ of the C melodic minor scale)