Major (Ionian) vs Melodic Minor on Bass
The C major (ionian) and the C melodic minor share 6 notes — C, D, F, G, A, B. From there, the C major (ionian) adds E, while the C melodic minor adds Eb.
Bass · 4-string, tuned low to high: E, A, D, G. 24 frets.
- E string: fret 0 E (3), fret 1 F (4 of C Major (Ionian) and 4 of C Melodic Minor), fret 3 G (5 of C Major (Ionian) and 5 of C Melodic Minor), fret 5 A (6 of C Major (Ionian) and 6 of C Melodic Minor), fret 7 B (7 of C Major (Ionian) and 7 of C Melodic Minor), fret 8 C (root of C Major (Ionian) and root of C Melodic Minor), fret 10 D (2 of C Major (Ionian) and 2 of C Melodic Minor), fret 11 Eb (flat 3), fret 12 E (3), fret 13 F (4 of C Major (Ionian) and 4 of C Melodic Minor), fret 15 G (5 of C Major (Ionian) and 5 of C Melodic Minor), fret 17 A (6 of C Major (Ionian) and 6 of C Melodic Minor), fret 19 B (7 of C Major (Ionian) and 7 of C Melodic Minor), fret 20 C (root of C Major (Ionian) and root of C Melodic Minor), fret 22 D (2 of C Major (Ionian) and 2 of C Melodic Minor), fret 23 Eb (flat 3), fret 24 E (3).
- A string: fret 0 A (6 of C Major (Ionian) and 6 of C Melodic Minor), fret 2 B (7 of C Major (Ionian) and 7 of C Melodic Minor), fret 3 C (root of C Major (Ionian) and root of C Melodic Minor), fret 5 D (2 of C Major (Ionian) and 2 of C Melodic Minor), fret 6 Eb (flat 3), fret 7 E (3), fret 8 F (4 of C Major (Ionian) and 4 of C Melodic Minor), fret 10 G (5 of C Major (Ionian) and 5 of C Melodic Minor), fret 12 A (6 of C Major (Ionian) and 6 of C Melodic Minor), fret 14 B (7 of C Major (Ionian) and 7 of C Melodic Minor), fret 15 C (root of C Major (Ionian) and root of C Melodic Minor), fret 17 D (2 of C Major (Ionian) and 2 of C Melodic Minor), fret 18 Eb (flat 3), fret 19 E (3), fret 20 F (4 of C Major (Ionian) and 4 of C Melodic Minor), fret 22 G (5 of C Major (Ionian) and 5 of C Melodic Minor), fret 24 A (6 of C Major (Ionian) and 6 of C Melodic Minor).
- D string: fret 0 D (2 of C Major (Ionian) and 2 of C Melodic Minor), fret 1 Eb (flat 3), fret 2 E (3), fret 3 F (4 of C Major (Ionian) and 4 of C Melodic Minor), fret 5 G (5 of C Major (Ionian) and 5 of C Melodic Minor), fret 7 A (6 of C Major (Ionian) and 6 of C Melodic Minor), fret 9 B (7 of C Major (Ionian) and 7 of C Melodic Minor), fret 10 C (root of C Major (Ionian) and root of C Melodic Minor), fret 12 D (2 of C Major (Ionian) and 2 of C Melodic Minor), fret 13 Eb (flat 3), fret 14 E (3), fret 15 F (4 of C Major (Ionian) and 4 of C Melodic Minor), fret 17 G (5 of C Major (Ionian) and 5 of C Melodic Minor), fret 19 A (6 of C Major (Ionian) and 6 of C Melodic Minor), fret 21 B (7 of C Major (Ionian) and 7 of C Melodic Minor), fret 22 C (root of C Major (Ionian) and root of C Melodic Minor), fret 24 D (2 of C Major (Ionian) and 2 of C Melodic Minor).
- G string: fret 0 G (5 of C Major (Ionian) and 5 of C Melodic Minor), fret 2 A (6 of C Major (Ionian) and 6 of C Melodic Minor), fret 4 B (7 of C Major (Ionian) and 7 of C Melodic Minor), fret 5 C (root of C Major (Ionian) and root of C Melodic Minor), fret 7 D (2 of C Major (Ionian) and 2 of C Melodic Minor), fret 8 Eb (flat 3), fret 9 E (3), fret 10 F (4 of C Major (Ionian) and 4 of C Melodic Minor), fret 12 G (5 of C Major (Ionian) and 5 of C Melodic Minor), fret 14 A (6 of C Major (Ionian) and 6 of C Melodic Minor), fret 16 B (7 of C Major (Ionian) and 7 of C Melodic Minor), fret 17 C (root of C Major (Ionian) and root of C Melodic Minor), fret 19 D (2 of C Major (Ionian) and 2 of C Melodic Minor), fret 20 Eb (flat 3), fret 21 E (3), fret 22 F (4 of C Major (Ionian) and 4 of C Melodic Minor), fret 24 G (5 of C Major (Ionian) and 5 of C Melodic Minor).
Swipe the chart sideways to see all of it.
Both scales above are drawn on one bass fretboard in the key of C. Notes belonging to both are drawn as a split two-color dot, so the notes they share and the notes unique to each are visible in one picture.
How the formulas differ
Scale degrees are the key-independent way to compare two scales — these stay the same in every key, and they are what actually distinguishes one scale from another.
| Scale | Degrees |
|---|---|
| Major (Ionian) | R · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 |
| Melodic Minor | R · 2 · b3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 |
Notes in common
| Note | In Major (Ionian) | In Melodic Minor |
|---|---|---|
| C | R | R |
| D | 2 | 2 |
| F | 4 | 4 |
| G | 5 | 5 |
| A | 6 | 6 |
| B | 7 | 7 |
Notes that differ
- Only in the major (ionian): E (3)
- Only in the melodic minor: Eb (b3)