Guitar UpscaleC# Harmonic Minor scale on guitar
The C# Harmonic Minor scale has 7 notes: C# D# E F# G# A B#. Its root C# is also written Db.
| Notes | C# D# E F# G# A B# |
|---|---|
| Formula | 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7 |
| Steps | W H W W H W+H H (W whole step, H half step) |
Play the C# Harmonic Minor scale on the fretboard in Guitar Upscale
About the Harmonic Minor scale
Harmonic minor raises the seventh note of natural minor, which gives a strong pull back to the root and an exotic, classical sound. More about the Harmonic Minor scale.
Notes of the C# Harmonic Minor scale
| Degree | Interval | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Root | C# |
| 2 | Major 2nd | D# |
| b3 | Minor 3rd | E |
| 4 | Perfect 4th | F# |
| 5 | Perfect 5th | G# |
| b6 | Minor 6th | A |
| 7 | Major 7th | B# |
Chords in the C# 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.
| Degree | Triad | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| i | C#m | C#mMaj7 |
| ii° | Ebdim | Ebm7b5 |
| bIII+ | Eaug | Emaj7#5 |
| iv | F#m | F#m7 |
| V | Ab | Ab7 |
| bVI | A | Amaj7 |
| vii° | Cdim | Cdim7 |
Same notes, another starting note
Start the C# Harmonic Minor scale on another of its notes and you get these scales:
- From degree 2 (D#): Eb Locrian Natural 6 scale
- From degree b3 (E): E Ionian #5 scale
- From degree 4 (F#): F# Romanian Minor scale
- From degree 5 (G#): Ab Phrygian Dominant scale
- From degree b6 (A): A Lydian #2 scale
- From degree 7 (B#): C Ultralocrian scale