Harmonic Minor Scale

< Back

Last updated on: 2009-08-19 4:16 PM

You currently have JavaScript disabled on your browser, or your browser does not support it. You will not be able to access some important Ricmedia website features without JavaScript support. How do I enable JavaScript in my browser?

The harmonic minor scale is a seven note scale with a numeric formula of 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8/1. The harmonic minor scale has a very "Gothic" or "Medieval" sound which comes from the major seventh interval opposing the minor third.

In melodic composition, the augmented second interval between the sixth and seventh degrees is considered by many to be harsh, so some composers raise the sixth degree by a semi-tone if the melody is accending to the seventh (creating a standard melodic minor scale or accending melodic minor), and when the melody is decending from the seventh to the sixth, the seventh is lowered a semi-tone (creating a natural minor scale or decending melodic minor). Guitarists tend not to use this theory and have a seperate scale pattern and formula for melodic minor, harmonic minor and natural minor which are the same regardless of which direction the melody is going, and this is the way I will teach you here.

The harmonic minor scale patterns below are referenced as numbers #1, #2, #3, #4 and #5 which you will find correspond directly with the chord patterns and reading positions of the same number.

Harmonic Minor Scale Profile

Numeric Formula	1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8/1
Notation Formula (key of C)	C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C/1
Stepping	whole / half / whole / whole / half / whole / half
Tonal	tone / semi-tone / tone / tone / semi-tone / tone / semi-tone
Harmonized Triads (key of C)	Cmi / D / E / Fmi / GMA / AMA / B
Harmonized Tetrads (key of C)	Cmi^(MA7) / Dmi⁷⁽⁵⁾ / EMA⁷⁽⁵⁾ / Fmi⁷ / G⁷ / AMA⁷ / B⁷

Harmonic Minor Scale Patterns

The scales below are not shown in any particular key, they are patterns which can be moved around the guitar neck freely using the tonic (circled dot) as your navigator. See example below.

How to use
As an example, let's say you require a D major scale
After playing all the major scale patterns, you decide on pattern #2
Pattern #2 has it's root on the 5^th string so you need to find the D note on this string
Click the notes on the neck chart tab and find the D note on the 5^th fret (5^th string)
Now play the D major scale using pattern #2 on the 5^th fret
Use the Octave chart tab to help you remember which notes are where
Use the Scale chart help tab if your a beginner at reading scale charts

Notes on the guitar neck chart (lite version)

Using octaves to learn notes on the guitar neck

First determine which chord you require, let's use a B major chord in this example.
We know the root note is B, (if it were an A major chord the root note would be A and for Cma⁷ it would be C, etc etc)
Using the notes on the guitar neck chart, find the B note on the 6^th string, 7^th fret.
Now using the major scale patterns chart, look for pattern #4 which has it's root note on the 6^th string and play it, your done!
Remember, learning and memorizing notes, chord voicings and scales in this way will improve your playing skills, theoretical knowledge and desirability as a band member.

Harmonic Minor Scale Audio Sample(s)

To download audio sample(s) for later listening, right click on the MP3 link, then from the context menu that appears select Save Target As (Internet Explorer) or Save Link As (Firefox).

Audio Sample Name	Flash	MP3
C Harmonic Minor Scale Pattern #4		c-harmonic-minor-scale-pattern-4.mp3

Related Lessons & Resources

Guitar Lessons
Music Theory
- Flat five substitution
- Harmonizing a major scale (triads)

External Resources

Harmonic minor scale at Wikipedia.org