Harmonic Minor scale on guitar

Harmonic minor raises the seventh note of natural minor, which gives a strong pull back to the root and an exotic, classical sound.

Also listed in the app as Mohammedan Scale.

Play the A Harmonic Minor scale on the fretboard in Guitar Upscale

About the Harmonic Minor scale

Harmonic minor is natural minor with a major 7th. That single change turns the fifth chord into a major or dominant 7th chord, so E7 can resolve to Am with real force.

The jump from the flat 6th to the major 7th is three half steps wide. That gap gives the scale its Middle Eastern and baroque colour.

Neoclassical metal players lean on it for fast runs, and classical composers used it for minor key cadences. Try it over a V7 to i progression such as E7 to Am.

Intervals from the root

Chords in the A Harmonic Minor scale

Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each note. These chords sound at home with the scale, so they make good progressions.

Same notes, another starting note

Start the A Harmonic Minor scale on another of its notes and you get these scales:

• From degree 2 (B): B Locrian Natural 6 scale
• From degree b3 (C): C Ionian #5 scale
• From degree 4 (D): D Romanian Minor scale
• From degree 5 (E): E Phrygian Dominant scale
• From degree b6 (F): F Lydian #2 scale
• From degree 7 (G#): G# Ultralocrian scale

Harmonic Minor scale in every key

More Minor scales

• Natural Minor (Aeolian)
• Phrygian Mode
• Lydian Minor
• Locrian Mode
• Locrian with a Natural Fifth
• Harmonic Minor Bebop
• Harmonic Minor Bebop with a Raised Fourth
• Melodic Minor
• Dorian Mode
• Minor Pentatonic
• Aeolian + Phrygian
• Aeolian + Dorian