E Harmonic Minor Guitar

[Sabel Kantah]

Whilethere is only a 1/2 step difference between the 7th interval of both scales (minor 7 vs. major 7), the difference in sound is highly noticeable. The raised 7th of the harmonic minor is more dissonant and creates a stronger resolve to the tonic, D.

Below are the 5 positions of the harmonic minor scale mapped to the guitar fretboard. When practicing the scale, start and end on the root note. This will help associate the scale patterns based on the position of the root notes.

In this lesson we learned about the harmonic minor scale. Unlike the natural minor scale, it contains a major 7th interval, which gives the scale a leading tone to strengthen the resolve back to the tonic chord. As a result, we end up with different chord qualities than that of the natural minor, most notably the major V chord, which is often substituted in music with a minor key center.

If you're not able to play all over the fretboard, you're missing the foundation required to see the fretboard clearly. Build your foundation and put it all together with Guitar Essentials: Foundational Fretboard Navigation.

In any key, the harmonic minor scale uses the following intervals: Whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, half step, whole and a half step, half step. The whole-and-a-half step between the C and the D# in the E harmonic minor scale creates an augmented second between the sixth and seventh notes of this scale.

Start by playing the E string open. Next, use your index finger to play the 2nd fret and your middle finger to play the 3rd. Shift your hand so your index finger can play the 5th fret and your ring finger can play the 7th. Shift again so your index finger can play the 8th fret and your pinkie can play the 11th. Then, slide your pinkie up one fret to hit the note on the 12th fret.

Another way to play the E harmonic minor scale is in the open position. To play the scale in this position, use your index finger to play notes on the 1st fret, your middle finger to play notes on the 2nd, your ring finger to play notes on the 3rd, and your pinkie to play notes on the 4th fret.

Follow this tab to play the E harmonic minor scale in open position on the low E string. Keep your hand in the same position throughout. Use your index finger on the 1st fret, your middle finger on the 2nd, and so on.

The best way to practice playing the harmonic minor scale is to keep playing it over and over. Start by playing the E harmonic minor scale in ascending and descending order up and down on the low E string of your guitar. Next, practice playing the same scale on the high E string, and notice how the same notes sound in a higher register. You might try engaging your picking hand more in this exercise by adding in tremolo picking for a bit of a surf effect.

Next, practice playing the moveable scale in different positions on the neck of your guitar. Start on the 2nd fret of your low E string, F#, and play through the scale in ascending and descending order. Next, move your hand position up one fret to start on the 3rd fret, G. Continue playing the scale in ascending and descending order until you get to the 14th fret, which is F# again.

A Harmonic Minor scale for guitar.

The A Harmonic Minor is a seven-note scale. Colored circles mark the tones in the diagram, the darker ones highlighting the root notes. In the two-octave pattern, the first note in the scale is on the 6th string, 5th fret.

The tones in these chords correspond to the tones of the A Harmonic Minor scale.

The second and fourth columns include short notations for the chords in the first and third columns respectively. These are based on common ways to play the chord, but there are other alternatives. See more about this notation system on the FAQ page.

The A Harmonic Minor scale consists of seven notes. These can be described as intervals, as semi-notes or steps on the guitar fingerboard from the first note to the next octave. Written as semi-notes: 2 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 1 - 3 - 1. Written as steps: whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole and a half, half.

The A Harmonic Minor is one of three A Minor scales, the other two are A Natural Minor and A Melodic Minor.

This minor scale has an exotic sound caused by the whole and a half distance between the sixth and seventh degrees.

This large jump is the main feature to focus on in addition to the parallels with the other two minor scales.

Are you looking to take your jazz playing and musicianship to the next level by incorporating sounds like harmonic and melodic minor into your playing? If so, you must check out the Learn Jazz Standards Inner Circle.

Like the major scale and other minor scales, the harmonic minor scale has its own modes and special intervallic relationships musicians can take advantage of to bring fresh and captivating ideas into their playing.

If the natural minor scale is based on the sixth scale degree, then A natural minor would be in the key of C. C major is the relative major scale for A natural minor. For more on modes of the major scale, check out our ultimate guide to musical modes.

The melodic minor scale is similar to the harmonic minor scale in that both have a natural seventh scale degree. However, the melodic minor scale has a major sixth scale degree, whereas the harmonic minor scale has a minor sixth.

In classical music theory, the ascending form of the melodic minor scale is different than the descending melodic minor scale. When descending, the sixth and seventh scale degrees are flattened by one-half step, making the scale a natural minor on the way down.

There is only one note difference between the natural minor scale and the harmonic minor version. The harmonic minor scale is like a natural minor scale with a raised seventh degree. It is identical to the natural minor scale except for the last note, which is normally a minor seventh scale degree.

Within the harmonic minor scale are major chords, minor chords, diminished triads, and augmented triads. That means there are also a bunch of altered major and minor scales (modes) we can take advantage of when improvising over different pitch environments, including major keys and minor keys!

The sixth mode of harmonic minor is called Lydian #2. The easiest way to build it is to take the Lydian mode of the major scale and raise the 2nd note by a half step. This augmented second is equivalent to the minor third.

Stacking thirds on the last note in C harmonic minor, we get a B-diminished triad and a B fully diminished seventh chord. Harmonic minor is the only minor scale to contain a fully diminished 7th chord. The melodic minor scale and natural minor scale do not have one.

Harmonic minor scales have altered dominant chord tones built directly into their architecture. Because of these altered chord tones, you can play one harmonic minor scale through an entire minor ii-V.

Here are the types of personal information we may collect when you use and visit LearnJazzStandards.com, and how we safeguard your information. We never sell your personal information to third parties.

As with most other websites, we collect and use the data contained in log files. The information in the log files include your IP (internet protocol) address, your ISP (internet service provider, such as AOL or Shaw Cable), the browser you used to visit our site (such as Internet Explorer or Firefox), the time you visited our site and which pages you visited throughout our site.

We may use cookies to store information, such as your personal preferences when you visit our site. This could include only showing you a popup once in your visit, or the ability to log in to some of our features, such as forums. We collect this information to help send you only pertinent content that we believe you are interested in and will benefit from.

We also use third party advertisements on LearnJazzStandards.com to support our site. Some of these advertisers may use technology such as cookies and web beacons when they advertise on our site, which will also send these advertisers (such as Google through the Google AdSense program) information including your IP address, your ISP, the browser you used to visit our site, and in some cases, whether you have Flash installed.

This is generally used for geotargeting purposes (showing New York real estate ads to someone in New York, for example) or showing certain ads based on specific sites visited (such as showing cooking ads to someone who frequents cooking sites).

You can chose to disable or selectively turn off our cookies or third-party cookies in your browser settings, or by managing preferences in programs such as Norton Internet Security. However, this can affect how you are able to interact with our site as well as other websites. This could include the inability to login to services or programs, such as logging into forums or accounts.

Deleting cookies does not mean you are permanently opted out of any advertising program. Unless you have settings that disallow cookies, the next time you visit a site running the advertisements, a new cookie will be added.

In addition, if you sign up for the free newsletter, your email address will only be used to send special offers and updates from LearnJazzStandards.com. Addresses are recorded and kept secure through MailChimp, which we use to distribute information to our subscribers. Neither MailChimp nor LearnJazzStandards.com will give or sell your address to any third party, nor will you be added to any additional lists.

Neither we nor any third parties provide any warranty or guarantee as to the accuracy, timeliness, performance, completeness or suitability of the information and materials found or offered on this website for any particular purpose.

Your use of any information or materials on this website is entirely at your own risk, for which we shall not be liable. It shall be your own responsibility to ensure that any products, services or information available through this website meet your specific requirements.

3a8082e126