Daxter Music

Scale Lesson

:Harmonic Minor Scale

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Harmonic Minor Scale

This lecture is the harmonic minor scale.

Harmonic minor scale has Whole-and-a-Half step interval in the scale. Although this interval may give unique vibes to the sound, as I referred it in the page of Indian scale, Gypsy scale and Oriental scale, It is more important that 7th note became a leading tone.

Harmonic minor scale
Each pitch of Harmonic minor scale.

Harmonic Minor Scale
  C   D   E F   G   A   B
C Harmonic Minor Scale          
Harmonic Minor Scale
  A   B C   D   E F   G  
A Harmonic Minor Scale          

Then, the 5th chord becomes a dominant function.

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Triads and Seventh Chords

Harmonic minor scale has the following triads and 7th chords.

Triad in the A Harmonic Minor Scale
Triad Am Bm(b5) Caug Dm E F G#m(b5)
Degree Names Im IIm(b5) bIIIaug IVm V bVI VIIm(b5)
Seventh Chord in the A Harmonic Minor Scale
7th Chord AmM7 Bm7(b5) CM7(#5) Dm7 E7 FM7 G#dim7
Degree Names ImM7 IIm7(b5) bIIIM7(#5) IVm7 V7 bVIM7 VIIdim7

Let's listen to the sample song using the Harmonic minor scale.

If you use this scale at the point of perfect cadence (V-I) in the Minor Key, a good melody can easily be made.