For example, if the E7 chord appears resolving in the Am chord, we would use the A minor harmonic scale at the time that E7 was being played. In melodic composition, the augmented second interval between the sixth and seventh degrees of the harmonic minor scale is considered by many to be … 10 Important Composers of the Renaissance Era, 10 Important Composers of the Medieval Period. It comes up all the time in music exams and is definitely in the music theory exam syllabus. For example, the C Harmonic Minor scale contains the B natural note. For you to see this difference, let’s use the natural A minor scale and the A minor harmonic scale as an example. It’s not only called the ‘harmonic’ scale, but there is a different scale in existence called the ‘melodic’. Composers have gone to great lengths to set rules about what to do and what not to do when writing melodies. In this music theory video lesson, we will learn how to build the harmonic minor scale. To play a harmonic minor scale, you simply raise the seventh note of the natural minor scale by a half-step as you go up and down the scale. Written as semi-notes: 2 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 1 - 3 - 1. Practice this scale a lot in this context and try to identify songs that contain this  V7 – Im7 progression. The formula for forming a harmonic minor scale is W-H-W-W-H-W 1/2-H. (Whole step – half step – whole step – whole step – half step – whole step and a 1/2 step – half step.) Scale Formula: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7; Scale Intervals: ... A Harmonic Minor Scale 3 Notes Per String Fretboard Diagrams. Welcome to Hello Music Theory! Now that we have talked about both the natural minor and harmonic minor scales, lets take a minute to introduce the 3 rd minor scale in our repertoire: the melodic minor scale. Using A harmonic minor as an example, it means raising the 7th note, G natural, by a semitone to G# as shown below. The Harmonic minor was derived by the need for a Dominant chord on the 5th degree (V) of the minor scale - enabling a Perfect Cadence (a Dominant 7th V chord resolving to a I minor chord). The A Harmonic Minor scale consists of seven notes. The change comes in the seventh degree. Your email address will not be published. Download my free eBook with all my favourite music theory resources. Your ear will quickly get used to this resolution and will be sharp to perceive it when it appears. Notice how this scale alone already has a pleasant flavor. The context in which the harmonic minor scale most often appears in solos, riffs or arrangements is when a V7 chord resolves in a minor chord. Tonic: The 1st note of the D harmonic minor scale is D. Major 2nd: The 2nd note of the scale … The term minor scale can be broken down into two words – minor and scale.. The Major scale formula = 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 C major scale = C D E F G A B The Minor Pentatonic scale formula = 1 b3 4 5 b7 C Minor Pentatonic = C Eb F G Bb So you play the first note of the major scale, then the third note lowered by a half step, the fourth note, the fifth note and the seventh note lowered by a half step. Why we use harmony from both Natural and Harmonic Minor – Natural Minor alone lacks essential jazz chords, like the V7 dominant. The melodic minor scale, as it's name implies, is used mainly in melodic lines. Today, we’ll be looking at the harmonic minor scale. In the major key, the V7 resolves in a major chord, as we already know. Thanks for stopping by and if you have any questions get in touch! Colored circles mark the tones in the diagram, the darker ones highlighting the root notes. b3 (flat three) means you take the third note of the major scale only a half step down. See the key of G major: This makes our life a little difficult, because we would always need to be paying attention to the corresponding degrees and tonalities to know when we can and when we cannot apply the harmonic minor scale. By altering these notes we also change the intervals which make up the scale. This is because it’s the same as the Aeolian mode but with a raised 7th note of the scale. In this music theory video lesson, we will learn how to build the harmonic minor scale. If you want a … These can be described as intervals, as semi-notes or steps on the guitar fingerboard from the first note to the next octave. Just think of the harmonic minor being used for it's harmonic functions. To play a harmonic minor scale, you simply raise the seventh note of the scale by a half-step as you go up and down the scale. Any C minor scale (natural, harmonic, or melodic) is a relative minor scale of E♭ major; Any C minor scale (natural, harmonic, or melodic) is a parallel minor scale of C major; So far we have only worked with natural minor scales; they always follow the “W H W W H W W” formula. The only difference between the two is in the seventh degree. * Look for the notes of the A harmonic minor scale on your guitar neck. If you’ve never fooled around with harmonic minor before, you’ll be immediately taken with the exotic almost Spanish sound. Harmonic Minor Scale The harmonic minor scale raises the 7th note of the natural minor scale by a half step and has the following scale formula: W – H – W – W – H – W+… The harmonic minor scale has a very "Gothic" or "Medieval" sound which comes from the major seventh interval opposing the minor third. The harmonic minor scale formula (with S representing semitones and T representing tones) is: T – S – T – T – S – T1⁄2 – S. 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