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The Harmonic Minor Scale

Introduction
Some Guitar Philosophy
The Diatonic Scale In the chapter on the diatonic scale we have briefly touched on the
The Pentatonic Scale modes.
The Harmonic Minor
Scale Modes are scales that share the same notes but start and end on
The Melodic Minor different degrees of the parental scale.
Scale
Other Scales Let's quickly review the modes of the diatonic scale based on the scale
More Harmony Theory degree and the charateristic intervals:
Recommended
Scale Intervals in the modal scales
Literature
Contact Mode Degr prim seco thir sixt seven
ee fourth fifth
Your Browser does not e nd d h th
understand IFrames. perfe majo maj maj
Ionian I perfect perfect major
ct r or or
perfe majo min maj
Dorian II perfect perfect minor
ct r or or
Phrygian perfe mino min min
III perfect perfect minor
ct r or or
perfe majo maj augment maj
Lydian IV perfect major
ct r or ed or
Mixolydi perfe majo maj maj
V perfect perfect minor
an ct r or or
perfe majo min min
Aeolian VI perfect perfect minor
ct r or or
perfe mino min diminish min
Locrian VII perfect minor
ct r or ed or

Modal playing in the diatonic scale means that the same notes are
played, but the tonal center is shifted. To achieve this one can use the
following rules of thumb:
1. start on the tonal center of the mode
2. end on the tonal center of the mode
3. repeat the tonal center more often than other notes
Every mode evokes a certain feeling. Experiment with the modes and
decide for yourself which ones you like.

While Western classical music definitely makes use of modes

sometimes, the main emphasis is on a functional hierarchy that is
established by the use of a so called "leading tone".
The leading tone corresponds to the interval of a major seventh relativ
to the tonal center or tonic of a scale and leads back to it by moving up
a semitone.

If you look at the above mode intervals you will find that only the
Ionian and Lydian scales possess a leading tone. Both of these scales
are major scales characterized by the invervall of a major third above
the tonic. This interval causes a more or less "happy" feeling.

To get the hierarchy of notes and chords that is characteristic of the

Ionian or major scale, one has to alter the other scales. However, not
every scale's minor seventh has to be raised. For example raising the
minor seventh of the Mixolydian scale will just produce another Ionian
or major scale. Other scales like Phyrygian and Locrian are rarely used
due to the somewhat dissonant interval of a minor second (and a flatted
fifth in the case of Locrian), so introducing a leading tone does not
make much sense.

This leaves us with only two remaining scales that could benefit from
the functional hierarchy of a leading tone: Dorian and Aeolian. They
are both minor scales characterized by the invervall of a minor third
above the tonic and evoke feelings that are more reminiscent of sadness
or reflection.

Let's first take a look at the Aeolian mode or natural minor:

This mode starts on the 6th degree of the C major scale or one minor
third below the C of the Ionian or major scale. It is also called the
relative minor of C major.

To introduce a leading tone all we have to do is to raise the seventh

degree of natural minor. Thus we obtain a major seventh. In the key of
A minor this means we have to raise the G to a G# (the accidental #
means raising a note by one semitone). This scale is called the
harmonic minor scale.
Natural Minor A B C D E F G A
Harmonic Minor A B C D E F G# A

It has got a very characteristic sound with a certain arabic touch that is
due to the huge interval between the minor sixth and the major seventh.
Since the major seventh function of leading to the tonic is only needed
while the melody is ascending, most composers used the natural minor
scale when descending, although there is many exceptions to the rule.

The harmonic minor scale was used a lot in the works of composers
from Bach to Mozart but has also seen heavy use in bands like The
Doors and recently in the so called "neoclassical" guitar shredding
scence. So if you want to spice up your diatonic scale with the sound of
a harmonic minor scale you have got to study the scale on the
fretboard:

This one note difference compared to the A minor scale seems to be

pretty trivial:

But believe me, it is not trivial! This one note change generates almost
a new parallel universe...

So how do you learn this scale?

First thing - as always - is to play the scale on only one string using the
above fretboard diagram. Thus you will get used to the characteristic
intervals on your instrument - the guitar - and will also train your brain
to recognize the sound of this particular scale (what is normally called
ear-training).

According to the systematic approach we have used with the diatonic

scale, it seems then pretty logical to use the same 6-note patterns. This
also has the invaluable advantage that we can derive the harmonic
minor scale from the natural minor scale wherever we are on the
fretboard. And this makes a lot of sense since the harmonic minor scale
is generally not used in perfect isolation (unless you are a hardcore
"neoclassical" guitarist) but just as a functional extension of the natural
minor scale. So never use the harmonic minor scale out of context with
the natural minor (or diatonic) scale !

So all we have to do is to transform our 6-note patterns of the diatonic

scale to harmonic minor patterns to be able to switch back and forth:
Diatonic Harmonic Minor
Diatonic Pattern
Pattern name Pattern
Ionian- or C-
form
Dorian- or D-
form
Phrygian- or E-
form
Lydian or F-
form
Mixolydian- or
G-form
Aeolian- or A-
form
Locrian- or B-
form

Due to the huge leap from F to G# these scale patterns are not as user-
friendly as the diatonic patterns, but after a while you will get used to it.
Using these patterns you will be able to switch between diatonic and
harmonic patterns on the fly - no matter where you are on the fretboard.