Harmonic Minor Scale on Guitar
The harmonic minor scale is 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7, steps W H W W H W+H H (2 1 2 2 1 3 1 frets on one string). It is natural minor with one note changed: the 7th is raised by one fret.
Showing A harmonic minor: A B C D E F G♯
Scale on the fretboard
A harmonic minor: A B C D E F G♯ · Pattern 1 · frets 5–10 · starts on the root (A) on the 6th string
Tap a dot to hear it. Drone holds the root. Brightest dot = root. High e on top. Swipe for higher frets.
Formula of the harmonic minor scale, in A
| Degree | Interval | Frets above root | Note in A |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | root | 0 | A |
| 2 | major 2nd | 2 | B |
| ♭3 | minor 3rd | 3 | C |
| 4 | perfect 4th | 5 | D |
| 5 | perfect 5th | 7 | E |
| ♭6 | minor 6th | 8 | F |
| 7 | major 7th | 11 | G♯ |
Use the harmonic minor scale
- Harmonic minor scale on the fretboard mapfrets 0 to 15, any key and tuning
- Chords in E minorB7 to Em, the same move
- Chords in A minorwhere E7 pulls back to Am
How guitarists use harmonic minor
Raising the 7th of natural minor turns the minor v chord into a major V (E instead of Em in A minor) and puts a leading note one fret below the root. That is why players reach for it over the V chord of a minor key, the E or E7 in A minor.
The gap between the ♭6 and the 7 is three frets, an augmented second. It is the sound most people call exotic or neoclassical, and in the fingerings it is the one stretch to watch.
Started on its 5th degree, harmonic minor becomes the Phrygian dominant scale: E Phrygian dominant uses the notes of A harmonic minor. You hear it in flamenco and in metal.
The seven patterns, in A harmonic minor
These are the natural minor shapes with the 7th raised a fret. Where the ♭6 and the raised 7th land on the same string they sit three frets apart (the augmented 2nd), so on that string the pattern has one wide reach between fingers.
| Pattern | Frets | Starts on (6th string) |
|---|---|---|
| Pattern 1 | 5–10 | A (1) at fret 5 |
| Pattern 2 | 7–12 | B (2) at fret 7 |
| Pattern 3 | 8–13 | C (♭3) at fret 8 |
| Pattern 4 | 10–16 | D (4) at fret 10 |
| Pattern 5 | 12–17 | E (5) at fret 12 |
| Pattern 6 | 1–7 (shown an octave lower, same shape as frets 13–19) | F (♭6) at fret 1 |
| Pattern 7 | 3–9 (shown an octave lower, same shape as frets 15–21) | G♯ (7) at fret 4 |
In A harmonic minor, the ♭6 and the 7 share a string in pattern 1 on the 2nd string, pattern 2 on the 5th string, pattern 3 on the 5th and 3rd strings, pattern 4 on the 3rd and 1st strings, pattern 5 on the 6th and 1st strings, pattern 6 on the 6th and 4th strings and pattern 7 on the 4th and 2nd strings.
Tap a number above the fretboard to show that pattern in any key. The CAGED system groups the same notes into five shapes around the open C, A, G, E and D chords: see CAGED system scales.
Chords from the A harmonic minor scale
Stack every other note of the scale on each degree and you get its seven triads.
| Degree | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| i | Am | A C E |
| ii° | Bdim | B D F |
| III+ | Caug | C E G♯ |
| iv | Dm | D F A |
| V | E | E G♯ B |
| VI | F | F A C |
| vii° | G♯dim | G♯ B D |
The harmonic minor scale in every key
| Root | Harmonic minor |
|---|---|
| C | C D E♭ F G A♭ B |
| C♯ | C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A B♯ |
| D | D E F G A B♭ C♯ |
| E♭ | E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭ D |
| E | E F♯ G A B C D♯ |
| F | F G A♭ B♭ C D♭ E |
| F♯ | F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D E♯ |
| G | G A B♭ C D E♭ F♯ |
| G♯ | G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯ E F♯♯ |
| A | A B C D E F G♯ |
| B♭ | B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G♭ A |
| B | B C♯ D E F♯ G A♯ |
Related scales
- Natural minor scalemelodies and chords of minor keys
- Melodic minor scaleminor melodies that climb to the root, and jazz
- ModesDorian, Mixolydian and the other five sounds of the major scale
Keep practising
- All guitar scalesevery scale in one fretboard tool
- Keyschords and progressions in every key
- Guitar tunertune up before you play along
FAQ: harmonic minor scale
What is the difference between harmonic minor and natural minor?
One note: the 7th is raised a half step. In A, natural minor has G and harmonic minor has G♯.
Why is it called harmonic minor?
Because the raised 7th comes from harmony. It makes the V chord major, so the V to i cadence of a minor key resolves as strongly as it does in a major key.
What chords come from the harmonic minor scale?
In A: Am, Bdim, Caug, Dm, E, F and G♯dim. The augmented III, the major V and the diminished vii° are the three that differ from natural minor.