Package leaflet · Information for the musician · Scale
A Harmonic Minor Scale
Dramatic, exotic and tense. The raised seventh creates a strong leading tone and an augmented second between degrees 6 and 7 that sounds distinctly Middle Eastern or classical.
- 7 notes
- 1 ♯
- minor scale
1Composition: what it contains
A – B – C – D – E – F – G♯
- Formula
- 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7
- Steps
- W – H – W – W – H – W+H – H
- Number of notes
- 7
- Sharps and flats
- 1 ♯
- Also called
- Aeolian ♯7, Mohammedan scale
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | unison | 0 | tonic |
| 2 | B | major second | 2 | supertonic |
| ♭3 | C | minor third | 3 | mediant |
| 4 | D | perfect fourth | 5 | subdominant |
| 5 | E | perfect fifth | 7 | dominant |
| ♭6 | F | minor sixth | 8 | submediant |
| 7 | G♯ | major seventh | 11 | leading tone |
2Appearance: diagrams and sound
Tip: click any note, key or fret to hear it. Orange = root.
3Indications: what it is used for
Built to give minor keys a major V chord and a diminished seventh leading-tone chord, so it is the scale of minor cadences: i–iv–V7–i, ii°–V7–i and the vii°7 chord resolving to i. Typical in classical music, neoclassical metal, flamenco-flavoured pieces, tango, klezmer and film scores. In jazz it is played over V7♭9 resolving to a minor chord, starting from the target chord's root. Its fifth mode is the phrygian dominant, so the two are often used together over the dominant chord.
4Dosage: how to practise it
Ten minutes a day at 60–80 BPM. Isolate the augmented second first: play degrees 5-6-7-8 and back until the stretch feels natural. Then play full two-octave runs in triplets and sixteenths, and practise arpeggios of the i chord and the V7 chord within the scale. On guitar, use three-notes-per-string patterns, where the augmented second often falls between two strings or requires a wide stretch. On piano, practise it hands together in contrary motion to secure the fingering around the raised seventh.
5Warnings and common mistakes
Do not use it blindly over every chord in a minor song: over the iv, VI or III chords the raised seventh can clash; natural minor or Dorian often fits better there. The augmented second can sound cliché if overused, so mix stepwise motion with it. Beginners often forget that only the seventh is raised, not the sixth (that would be melodic minor). Be aware that the raised seventh may need a sharp or a natural sign that is not in the key signature.
6Interactions with chords, scales and keys
Chords of the scale (triads)
| Degree | Chord | Notes | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Chords of the scale (seventh chords)
| Degree | Chord | Notes | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| i(maj7) | Am(maj7) | A – C – E – G♯ | |
| iiø7 | Bm7♭5 | B – D – F – A | |
| III+maj7 | C+maj7 | C – E – G♯ – B | |
| iv7 | Dm7 | D – F – A – C | |
| V7 | E7 | E – G♯ – B – D | |
| VImaj7 | Fmaj7 | F – A – C – E | |
| vii°7 | G♯dim7 | G♯ – B – D – F |
Same notes, different starting point
7Other presentations available
The same scale from every note
- C Harmonic Minor Scale
- C sharp Harmonic Minor Scale
- D Harmonic Minor Scale
- E flat Harmonic Minor Scale
- E Harmonic Minor Scale
- F Harmonic Minor Scale
- F sharp Harmonic Minor Scale
- G Harmonic Minor Scale
- A flat Harmonic Minor Scale
- B flat Harmonic Minor Scale
- B Harmonic Minor Scale
Other scales from the same note
- A Major Scale
- A Natural Minor Scale
- A Melodic Minor Scale
- A Dorian Mode
- A Phrygian Mode
- A Lydian Mode
- A Mixolydian Mode
- A Locrian Mode
- A Major Pentatonic Scale
- A Minor Pentatonic Scale
- A Blues Scale
- A Major Blues Scale
- A Whole Tone Scale
- A Half-Whole Diminished Scale
- A Whole-Half Diminished Scale
- A Phrygian Dominant Scale
- A Hungarian Minor Scale
- A Lydian Dominant Scale
- A Altered Scale
- A Double Harmonic Major Scale
- A Bebop Dominant Scale
Read this leaflet carefully before playing. Keep it near your instrument. Free to use, print and share for personal and educational use.