The name of a harmonic minor scale appears. Your task is to draw its 8 notes on the staff. It is the natural minor scale with the 7th raised by a half step to create a true leading tone; that raise produces an augmented second between the 6th and the 7th degree.
How to use the exercise: Click (or drag) on the staff to place each note. First choose the accidental with the ♭ ♮ ♯ buttons if the note needs one. Undo removes the last note and Clear restarts the exercise. The notes are sorted automatically from low to high. The magnifier shows the note you are about to place.
The pattern of the harmonic minor scale
The pattern is W – H – W – W – H – A2 – H (UK: tone and semitone; A2 = augmented second). The raised leading tone leaves a distance of three half steps (an augmented second) between the unaltered 6th degree and the raised 7th: the unmistakable sound of this scale.
| Degree | Step | A minor | E minor | D minor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | — | A | E | D |
| 2nd | W | B | F♯ | E |
| 3rd | H | C | G | F |
| 4th | W | D | A | G |
| 5th | W | E | B | A |
| 6th | H | F | C | B♭ |
| 7th | A2 | G♯ | D♯ | C♯ |
| 8th | H | A | E | D |
The raised leading tone and the augmented second
Compared with the natural minor, the harmonic minor raises only the 7th degree. That note is written with a sharp or a natural sign (depending on the key signature) without changing its letter name. Because the 6th stays where it is, the augmented second appears between the two, as in the harmonic major scale but with a minor 3rd.
To lock these scales into your fingers, practice them with the online metronome at 60-70% of your target tempo, raising it by 5 BPM each time you play three repetitions without mistakes. The online tuner lets you check your tuning before you start.
Printable worksheet (PDF)
The same exercise on paper, for class: eight harmonic minor scales to write without a key signature, with each accidental before its note. With a separate answer sheet, with the answers in red.
It goes from easier to harder: first key signatures with few accidentals in treble clef, then more accidentals and the bass clef.
Download the worksheet (PDF A4) Answers
You may print and photocopy the worksheets freely for the classroom. There are also worksheets of this same type for identifying and writing with a key signature, and in the scales index you can create custom worksheets, mixing whichever types you like.