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Music Theory

Harmonic Minor Scales

The harmonic minor scale is built from the natural minor scale by raising its seventh note by a half step (UK: semitone). That half step creates the leading tone (UK: leading note), a note with a strong pull toward the tonic, and it strengthens the cadence in the minor mode.

Why does the harmonic minor scale exist?

In A natural minor, the seventh degree is G♮. The distance from G♮ up to A (the tonic) is a whole step. The note does not have enough tension to lead firmly to the tonic, and the dominant chord (v) is a minor chord, which has little cadential force.

That raised seventh is the note you hear at the end of minor melodies in the listening exercise Major or minor?: rising to the tonic, it makes the tonal center very clear. It is also one more clue for working out by ear which minor key a melody is in, which you can practice in recognizing the minor key.

When G♮ is raised to G♯, the distance to A becomes a half step: G♯ is now the leading tone. This makes it possible to build the dominant seventh chord (V7), E–G♯–B–D in A minor, the most conclusive chord of tonal harmony. On the same leading tone you can also build the diminished seventh chord (G♯–B–D–F), typical of minor keys.

The raised seventh also changes the chord on the third degree (the mediant). In natural minor it is a major chord (C–E–G in A minor); with G♯ it becomes an augmented chord (C–E–G♯), one of the few places where an augmented triad appears naturally, using only notes of the scale.

The price of this change is the interval of an augmented 2nd between the sixth degree (F) and the raised seventh (G♯): three half steps instead of the usual two. This unusual leap is the sound signature of the harmonic minor scale, and it reminds many listeners of scales from the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East.

Interval pattern

The pattern of whole steps (W), half steps (H) and the augmented 2nd (A2 = 1½ whole steps) of the harmonic minor scale is the same in every key:

Degrees1–22–33–44–55–66–77–8
PatternWHWWHA2H
A harmonic minorA–BB–CC–DD–EE–FF–G♯G♯–A

The augmented 2nd between the 6th and 7th degrees (F–G♯ in A minor) is the interval that sets the harmonic minor apart from the other minor scales. In the melodic minor scale that leap is removed by raising the sixth degree as well.

We start from the natural minor scale:

A natural minor scale, no accidentals: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A. Between one note and the next: whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step.

Raising the seventh note by a half step gives the harmonic minor scale:

A harmonic minor scale, with the accidentals written next to each note: A, B, C, D, E, F, G♯, A. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: G♯.

In the staff examples on this page the raised note is marked in red to make it easy to find; in exercises you do not need to mark it.

Move this pattern to any tonic and you get the harmonic minor scale of that note. The scales are shown in two equivalent ways: with the accidentals written inside the scale and with the key signature. Which one to use depends on the exercise.

All 15 harmonic minor scales

Scale1234567↑Accidentals (key signature + raised 7th)
A harmonic minorABCDEFG♯None + G♯
E harmonic minorEF♯GABCD♯1♯: F♯ + D♯
B harmonic minorBC♯DEF♯GA♯2♯: F♯ C♯ + A♯
F♯ harmonic minorF♯G♯ABC♯DE♯3♯: F♯ C♯ G♯ + E♯
C♯ harmonic minorC♯D♯EF♯G♯AB♯4♯: F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ + B♯
G♯ harmonic minorG♯A♯BC♯D♯EF double sharp5♯: F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ A♯ + F double sharp
D♯ harmonic minorD♯E♯F♯G♯A♯BC double sharp6♯: F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ A♯ E♯ + C double sharp
A♯ harmonic minorA♯B♯C♯D♯E♯F♯G double sharp7♯: F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ A♯ E♯ B♯ + G double sharp
D harmonic minorDEFGAB♭C♯1♭: B♭ + C♯
G harmonic minorGAB♭CDE♭F♯2♭: B♭ E♭ + F♯
C harmonic minorCDE♭FGA♭B♮3♭: B♭ E♭ A♭ + B♮
F harmonic minorFGA♭B♭CD♭E♮4♭: B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ + E♮
B♭ harmonic minorB♭CD♭E♭FG♭A♮5♭: B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ + A♮
E♭ harmonic minorE♭FG♭A♭B♭C♭D♮6♭: B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ C♭ + D♮
A♭ harmonic minorA♭B♭C♭D♭E♭F♭G♮7♭: B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ C♭ F♭ + G♮

Accidentals written inside the scale

Keys with sharps

E Harmonic Minor Scale

E harmonic minor scale, with the accidentals written next to each note: E, F♯, G, A, B, C, D♯, E. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: D♯.

B Harmonic Minor Scale

B harmonic minor scale, with the accidentals written next to each note: B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G, A♯, B. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: A♯.

F♯ Harmonic Minor Scale

F♯ harmonic minor scale, with the accidentals written next to each note: F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D, E♯, F♯. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: E♯.

C♯ Harmonic Minor Scale

C♯ harmonic minor scale, with the accidentals written next to each note: C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A, B♯, C♯. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: B♯.

G♯ Harmonic Minor Scale

G♯ harmonic minor scale, with the accidentals written next to each note: G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E, F double sharp, G♯. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: F double sharp.

D♯ Harmonic Minor Scale

D♯ harmonic minor scale, with the accidentals written next to each note: D♯, E♯, F♯, G♯, A♯, B, C double sharp, D♯. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: C double sharp.

A♯ Harmonic Minor Scale

A♯ harmonic minor scale, with the accidentals written next to each note: A♯, B♯, C♯, D♯, E♯, F♯, G double sharp, A♯. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: G double sharp.

Keys with flats

D Harmonic Minor Scale

D harmonic minor scale, with the accidentals written next to each note: D, E, F, G, A, B♭, C♯, D. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: C♯.

G Harmonic Minor Scale

G harmonic minor scale, with the accidentals written next to each note: G, A, B♭, C, D, E♭, F♯, G. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: F♯.

C Harmonic Minor Scale

C harmonic minor scale, with the accidentals written next to each note: C, D, E♭, F, G, A♭, B♮, C. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: B♮.

F Harmonic Minor Scale

F harmonic minor scale, with the accidentals written next to each note: F, G, A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♮, F. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: E♮.

B♭ Harmonic Minor Scale

B♭ harmonic minor scale, with the accidentals written next to each note: B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G♭, A♮, B♭. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: A♮.

E♭ Harmonic Minor Scale

E♭ harmonic minor scale, with the accidentals written next to each note: E♭, F, G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭, D♮, E♭. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: D♮.

A♭ Harmonic Minor Scale

A♭ harmonic minor scale, with the accidentals written next to each note: A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭, E♭, F♭, G♮, A♭. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: G♮.

Accidentals in the key signature

Keys with sharps

E Harmonic Minor Scale

E harmonic minor scale with a key signature of 1 sharp: E, F♯, G, A, B, C, D♯, E. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: D♯.

B Harmonic Minor Scale

B harmonic minor scale with a key signature of 2 sharps: B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G, A♯, B. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: A♯.

F♯ Harmonic Minor Scale

F♯ harmonic minor scale with a key signature of 3 sharps: F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D, E♯, F♯. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: E♯.

C♯ Harmonic Minor Scale

C♯ harmonic minor scale with a key signature of 4 sharps: C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A, B♯, C♯. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: B♯.

G♯ Harmonic Minor Scale

G♯ harmonic minor scale with a key signature of 5 sharps: G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E, F double sharp, G♯. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: F double sharp.

D♯ Harmonic Minor Scale

D♯ harmonic minor scale with a key signature of 6 sharps: D♯, E♯, F♯, G♯, A♯, B, C double sharp, D♯. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: C double sharp.

A♯ Harmonic Minor Scale

A♯ harmonic minor scale with a key signature of 7 sharps: A♯, B♯, C♯, D♯, E♯, F♯, G double sharp, A♯. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: G double sharp.

Keys with flats

D Harmonic Minor Scale

D harmonic minor scale with a key signature of 1 flat: D, E, F, G, A, B♭, C♯, D. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: C♯.

G Harmonic Minor Scale

G harmonic minor scale with a key signature of 2 flats: G, A, B♭, C, D, E♭, F♯, G. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: F♯.

C Harmonic Minor Scale

C harmonic minor scale with a key signature of 3 flats: C, D, E♭, F, G, A♭, B♮, C. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: B♮.

F Harmonic Minor Scale

F harmonic minor scale with a key signature of 4 flats: F, G, A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♮, F. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: E♮.

B♭ Harmonic Minor Scale

B♭ harmonic minor scale with a key signature of 5 flats: B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G♭, A♮, B♭. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: A♮.

E♭ Harmonic Minor Scale

E♭ harmonic minor scale with a key signature of 6 flats: E♭, F, G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭, D♮, E♭. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: D♮.

A♭ Harmonic Minor Scale

A♭ harmonic minor scale with a key signature of 7 flats: A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭, E♭, F♭, G♮, A♭. In red, the note that differs from the natural minor scale: G♮.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a harmonic minor scale?
The harmonic minor scale is a variant of the natural minor scale in which the seventh degree is raised by a half step. This creates a leading tone, a note with a strong pull toward the tonic, and strengthens the harmonic cadence in the minor mode.
How is the harmonic minor scale different from the natural minor scale?
The only difference is the seventh degree: in natural minor it is a minor 7th above the tonic, while in harmonic minor it is raised a half step and becomes a major 7th that acts as a leading tone.
What is the harmonic minor scale used for?
It is used mainly to build chords in minor keys, above all the dominant seventh chord (V7), which contains the leading tone and gives a strong authentic cadence. It is the reference scale for tonal harmony in minor keys.
What are the notes of A harmonic minor?
A B C D E F G♯. Its seventh degree (G♯) is a half step higher than in A natural minor (G), which creates the augmented 2nd between F and G♯.
Why does the harmonic minor scale sound exotic?
The augmented 2nd (three half steps) between the sixth and seventh degrees gives it its particular color. That leap is unusual in standard Western scales and recalls some traditional scales of the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East.