Scales reference
Harmonic Minor Scale
The harmonic minor scale is a seven-note minor collection distinguished by a raised seventh degree relative to natural minor.
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C Harmonic Minor Scale
- Theory
- Scale
- Written root
- C
- Instrument
- 6-string Guitar
- Tuning
- E Standard
- Labels
- Notes
- Handedness
- Right handed
| String, low to high | Fret | Current label | Note | Degree | Interval | Root |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | F | F | 4 | 4 | No |
| 1 | 3 | G | G | 5 | 5 | No |
| 1 | 4 | Ab | Ab | 6 | b6 | No |
| 1 | 7 | B | B | 7 | 7 | No |
| 1 | 8 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 1 | 10 | D | D | 2 | 2 | No |
| 1 | 11 | Eb | Eb | 3 | b3 | No |
| 1 | 13 | F | F | 4 | 4 | No |
| 1 | 15 | G | G | 5 | 5 | No |
| 1 | 16 | Ab | Ab | 6 | b6 | No |
| 1 | 19 | B | B | 7 | 7 | No |
| 1 | 20 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 1 | 22 | D | D | 2 | 2 | No |
| 1 | 23 | Eb | Eb | 3 | b3 | No |
| 2 | 2 | B | B | 7 | 7 | No |
| 2 | 3 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 2 | 5 | D | D | 2 | 2 | No |
| 2 | 6 | Eb | Eb | 3 | b3 | No |
| 2 | 8 | F | F | 4 | 4 | No |
| 2 | 10 | G | G | 5 | 5 | No |
| 2 | 11 | Ab | Ab | 6 | b6 | No |
| 2 | 14 | B | B | 7 | 7 | No |
| 2 | 15 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 2 | 17 | D | D | 2 | 2 | No |
| 2 | 18 | Eb | Eb | 3 | b3 | No |
| 2 | 20 | F | F | 4 | 4 | No |
| 2 | 22 | G | G | 5 | 5 | No |
| 2 | 23 | Ab | Ab | 6 | b6 | No |
| 3 | 0 | D | D | 2 | 2 | No |
| 3 | 1 | Eb | Eb | 3 | b3 | No |
| 3 | 3 | F | F | 4 | 4 | No |
| 3 | 5 | G | G | 5 | 5 | No |
| 3 | 6 | Ab | Ab | 6 | b6 | No |
| 3 | 9 | B | B | 7 | 7 | No |
| 3 | 10 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 3 | 12 | D | D | 2 | 2 | No |
| 3 | 13 | Eb | Eb | 3 | b3 | No |
| 3 | 15 | F | F | 4 | 4 | No |
| 3 | 17 | G | G | 5 | 5 | No |
| 3 | 18 | Ab | Ab | 6 | b6 | No |
| 3 | 21 | B | B | 7 | 7 | No |
| 3 | 22 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 3 | 24 | D | D | 2 | 2 | No |
| 4 | 0 | G | G | 5 | 5 | No |
| 4 | 1 | Ab | Ab | 6 | b6 | No |
| 4 | 4 | B | B | 7 | 7 | No |
| 4 | 5 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 4 | 7 | D | D | 2 | 2 | No |
| 4 | 8 | Eb | Eb | 3 | b3 | No |
| 4 | 10 | F | F | 4 | 4 | No |
| 4 | 12 | G | G | 5 | 5 | No |
| 4 | 13 | Ab | Ab | 6 | b6 | No |
| 4 | 16 | B | B | 7 | 7 | No |
| 4 | 17 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 4 | 19 | D | D | 2 | 2 | No |
| 4 | 20 | Eb | Eb | 3 | b3 | No |
| 4 | 22 | F | F | 4 | 4 | No |
| 4 | 24 | G | G | 5 | 5 | No |
| 5 | 0 | B | B | 7 | 7 | No |
| 5 | 1 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 5 | 3 | D | D | 2 | 2 | No |
| 5 | 4 | Eb | Eb | 3 | b3 | No |
| 5 | 6 | F | F | 4 | 4 | No |
| 5 | 8 | G | G | 5 | 5 | No |
| 5 | 9 | Ab | Ab | 6 | b6 | No |
| 5 | 12 | B | B | 7 | 7 | No |
| 5 | 13 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 5 | 15 | D | D | 2 | 2 | No |
| 5 | 16 | Eb | Eb | 3 | b3 | No |
| 5 | 18 | F | F | 4 | 4 | No |
| 5 | 20 | G | G | 5 | 5 | No |
| 5 | 21 | Ab | Ab | 6 | b6 | No |
| 5 | 24 | B | B | 7 | 7 | No |
| 6 | 1 | F | F | 4 | 4 | No |
| 6 | 3 | G | G | 5 | 5 | No |
| 6 | 4 | Ab | Ab | 6 | b6 | No |
| 6 | 7 | B | B | 7 | 7 | No |
| 6 | 8 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 6 | 10 | D | D | 2 | 2 | No |
| 6 | 11 | Eb | Eb | 3 | b3 | No |
| 6 | 13 | F | F | 4 | 4 | No |
| 6 | 15 | G | G | 5 | 5 | No |
| 6 | 16 | Ab | Ab | 6 | b6 | No |
| 6 | 19 | B | B | 7 | 7 | No |
| 6 | 20 | C | C | 1 | 1 | Yes |
| 6 | 22 | D | D | 2 | 2 | No |
| 6 | 23 | Eb | Eb | 3 | b3 | No |
Overview
Harmonic minor adapts natural minor to create a leading tone immediately below the tonic. That change strengthens dominant-to-tonic motion and affects the chords available within the scale.
Construction
The collection retains the minor third and sixth while raising the seventh degree. The authoritative formula shows the complete structure and keeps its written spelling tied to the selected root.
Characteristics
The raised seventh creates strong semitone motion toward the tonic. It also creates an augmented-second gap between the sixth and seventh degrees, giving the scale a spacing not found in natural minor.
Applications
Harmonic minor is useful for understanding minor-key dominant harmony, leading-tone diminished chords, characteristic melodic movement, and the relationship between scale choice and harmonic function.