If you take two notes an octave apart and add some of the pitches that lie between them, youll have a scale. We call scales relative if they share the same key signature. The harmonic minor differs from the natural minor by the sharpened seventh note, and this minor scale is consequently not played in the same. Learn the note names all harmonic minor scales in table form, in all 12 circle of 5ths keys, including single and double accidental theoretical keys. This scale is a favorite among shredders like yngwie malmsteen, steve vai, joe satriani, and marty friedman. Scales and scale studies for the violin edition peters. Th e other chord tones of v7 are also included in the scale, but the 3rd is the note that would be left out of any minor scale with a. Oct 27, 2016 in this lesson, im going to use the three basic kinds of minor scales. In the diagrams to the right you see one octave of an a natural minor scale contrasted with the harmonic minor. Nov 29, 2018 advanced scale theory about the 7 harmonic minor modes an easy tool to look up the modes and some practical improvisation tips by the end of the lesson. The relative minor is a natural minor scale that starts on the 6th degree of.
Natural, harmonic and melodic forms about minor scales. As we have already learned, a mode is a scale created by establishing a new root note within a preexisting scale. Weve learned the basics of the scale, now its time to learn harmonic minor positions across the entire fretboard so we can create one, large unboxed pattern. Learning the harmonic minor scale simplifying theory. Since you will be using the harmonic minor scale so oft en over the v7 chord, it is worth looking at them together. Natural, harmonic, and melodic minor music theory online. But in jazz, we play the true melodic minor scale both up and down, and call it the jazz melodic minor scale.
This scale is also some kind of peculiar since it is sometimes played differently ascending and descending. However, this leaves a minor third interval between the sixth and seventh note. Free printable pdf downloads with notes and fingerings for scales in every key. The harmonic minor scale was created when composers wanted to create minor sounds but still retain the powerful resolution that comes from the major v i cadence a natural minor scale has a minor v chord. Well accomplish this by finding which church mode is the closest to the harmonic minor mode and alter it. Chord progressions using the harmonic minor scale will often be mixed with chords taken from the other minor scales. If you count the first note, repeated an octave higher at the top of the scale, it is eight notes. Julie tebbs i always seem to need arrangements that include varying levels of playing ability. Two octave harmonic minor scales for the clarinet all keys, with key signatures a harmonic minor d harmonic minor g harmonic minor c harmonic minor f harmonic minor b.
Minor scales cheat sheet harmonic minor raise the 7 th scale degree melodic minor raise the 6 th and 7 th scale degree ascending, revert to. A scale is a stepwise arrangement of notespitches contained within an octave. Small melodic interval sizes have also been observed in. Bebop scales the bebop scales are frequently used in jazz improvisation and are derived from the modes of the major scale, the melodic minor scale and the harmonic minor scale. This is under construction but will be done in the coming weeks the scales and arpeggios are split up into 3 main categories. The harmonic minor scale is one of three minor scales. Devil among the tailors score traditional tune, arr. Synthetic scales from tetrachords of altered modes part. The minor scale is the scale which sounds negative it is used by composers to depict sad, melancholic or even angrydramatic moods. Getting started with harmonic minorleads and jamming. The reason probably being the harmonic minor is such a strong sound, that using it for extended periods of time can sound almost cliche.
Here is an overview of the harmonic minor scale in the key of c, using the 3 notes per string system. We are already familiar with the modes of the major scale, but we can create modes from any preexisting scale. Harmonic minor scale is really similar to natural minor scale. Its important to note that the harmonic and melodic minor are variations of the natural minor scale, and so understanding how to harmonize the natural minor scale with 7th chords is the place to start. In this new guitar tutorial, were going to learn the harmonic minor scale, in the key of e. A scale degree is designated by an arabic numeral with a cap which indicate the position of the note within the scale. But where theres only one major scale, there are three different types of minor scales. The sound of the harmonic scale is somewhat characterized by the music of the middle east. Remember that the harmonic version is a natural minor scale with a raised 7th degree. A scale degree is designated by an arabic numeral with a cap. Caged 3 notes per string 3nps 7 positionberklee system. Lets name them in a way that they relate to those church modes.
Major and minor scales contain seven notes or scale degrees. Minor scales are built on the 6th scale degree of a major scale to quickly find a major keys relative minor, count down 3 halfsteps from the tonic note of the major scale remember to start with the tonic then count downdont count the tonic note as one. Here are some free pdfs used to supplement my free video lessons. Download our piano scale finger charts for the major scale, harmonic minor scale and more.
Printable scales written for the saxophone, including major, melodic minor, harmonic minor, natural minor and chromatic below are both printable pdf and html links to all the major, minor and chromatic scales for saxophone. As done previously, complete the six scales below turning them into the harmonic version. The harmonic minor scales keys are used as alternatives for the natural minor scales keys. Although the harmonic minor scale over a single minor chord is a sound you hear occasionally in pop and rock music, truthfully, its not too common. Pdf the harmonic minor scale provides an optimum way of. How to use the harmonic minor scale over a minor 251. The e minor harmonic scale learn how and when to play the e minor harmonic scale. Harmonic minor scale on bass fingeringsfor bass guitar. Printable piano music scales in all major and harmonic minor keys. All keys are shown, including the commonly used 12 keys of the circle of fifths diagram, and other theoretical ie. Harmonic minor scale fingerings pdf best piano tips. The harmonic minor scale is another variation of the natural minor scale.
The melodic minor scale differs from the natural minor scale by the sixth and seventh notes, which are raised a semistep. Apr 06, 2016 in our article relative and parallel minor, we explained the often confusing terms that are associated with the minor scale. Natural, harmonic, and melodic forms margaret denton, piano minor scales. Pdf small pitch movement is known to characterize sadness in speech prosody. In the natural minor scale, the seventh degree is minor, while in the harmonic minor scale, the seventh degree is major. Harmonic minor positions 7 positions of harmonic minor. Here are some examples of minor iivi lines using the harmonic minor scale. It can be useful to think about what fingers to use to limit the amount of positions switches per position. In jazz, the modes of the melodic minor scale are very widely used. These are not lessons, but supplements to my lessons. Here is an overview of all the charts and other resources that are available on this site to view and also to download. Check out my free video lessons on my free lessons page. It is important to remember that the harmonic and melodic minor scales are only altered minor scales.
David baker named these scales the bebop scales because they were used so often by jazz artists form the bebop era. Minor scales cheat sheet harmonic minor raise the 7th scale degree melodic minor raise the 6th and 7th scale degree ascending, revert to natural minor descending. Use the scale chart generator below to help you learn the harmonic minor scales in any key and just about any kind of guitar. The harmonic minor is a natural minor with a raised 7th degree which enables a dominant v chord. The seven modes of the harmonic minor scale are very close to the church modes only one note changes between the harmonic minor and aeolian modes. In this lesson, im going to use the three basic kinds of minor scales. Ive already taught using a brilliant scale teaching aid from natalie wickham. In other words, they are all versions of a minor scale, with slight but significant differences among each. With 12 different pitches to choose from, you have endless possibilities. However, most music uses a few standard types of scale. The harmonic minor scale guitar diagrams and theory. The harmonic minor scale is one of the most difficult scales to play because of the large interval between the flat 6th and raised 7th degrees and interval of an augmented second, same as a minor third. Harmonic minor positions on guitar this lesson is a continuation from the harmonic minor scale lesson.
To get the melodic minor scale you would raise both the 6 th and 7 scales degrees up one halfstep. The other two are the natural minor and the melodic minor. Natural minor scale a scale that contains halfsteps between 23 and 56 scale degrees the natural form. This pdf method for guitar contains 40 ii v i jazz guitar lines with tab, standard notation, analysis, scale charts and audio files. The harmonic minor scales are used in all types of music from classical to metal. Key of db major bb or minor guitar scales as we discussed in our introduction, some notes can be referred to by di. We can also have an isolated use in a minor triad chord. Intro to the harmonic minor scale one way to think of the harmonic minor scale is as a natural minor scale with a raised 7th degree. Its common therefore to see something like i iv v7 progressions where the v7 is taken from the harmonic minor while the rest of the chords are taken from the natural minor.
The use of the harmonic minor scale will not only be restricted to the harmonic minor tonality, which implies having a minor dominant. Oct 12, 2014 here is an overview of the harmonic minor scale in the key of c, using the 3 notes per string system. Difference between harmonic and natural minor scales. Melodic minor modes and altered scale the jazz piano site. In fact, we can use interchange of scales on a minor triad chord. Scale construction in major, minor, harmonic minor and. Though you will use the major and melodic minor scales much more often than harmonic minor, its still an essential scale to learn and apply to your solos. In the previous article you learned that lydian tetrachords were absent from the modes of the melodic minor scale. There are three types of minor scales and we shall take a look at all of them here. In classical music, you play the true melodic minor scale ascending and the natural minor scale descending. The reason probably being the harmonic minor is such a strong sound, that using it for extended periods of. It is a great exotic sounding scale and i suggest you begin by getting familiar with the shape on guitar or your instrument of choice and also start to try recognizing the unique feeling it. Minor scales are built on the 6th scale degree of a major scale. Apr 12, 2019 although the harmonic minor scale over a single minor chord is a sound you hear occasionally in pop and rock music, truthfully, its not too common.
However, there are in fact 3 minor scales which you will come across and can use. The only difference between both scales is what is in the seventh degree. They usually have a sort of dark yet exotic sound when used yngwie malmsteen uses them. Playing scales on the harmonica can be very useful. As you can see in the scale above, each note of the major scale is given a number a scale degree which represents its placement or order within the scale. Intro to the harmonic minor scale community guitar. They are the natural, melodic and harmonic minor scales. To use it, simply play the harmonic minor scale built off of the root of the tonic or root of the i chord so for a minor iivi in c minor, play a c harmonic minor scale. All the scales here are in one octave, but you can of course practice each piano scale in as many octaves and in any tempo you like. The harmonic minor scale works great over minor iivs.
If that dont make sense yet, you might not need to learn it. This page shows piano and treble clef diagrams of all harmonic minor scales, starting from note c. Table of all scales in major, minor, harmonic minor and melodic minor as well as half stepwhole step, whole stephalf step, whole tone, diminished, augmented. Understanding basic music theory open textbooks for hong. This page shows the note names of all harmonic minor scales in chart table form. It is commonly used in solos when musicians want to spice things up and add. How to harmonize minor scales with 7th chords learn jazz.
The first mode of the melodic minor scale isthe melodic minor scale. Unlike the major scale, there are 3 types of minor scale. Printable violin and viola scales in 1 to 3 octaves. By raising the seventh note of the natural minor to a major seventh interval, this scale resolves to the tonic with more movement. Mostly the trick is to start the lower strings with 1 2 4 if. Its a type of guitar scale that you will not often see in pop music, while it is mostly used in classical, jazz, gypsy, and metal shredding music. Here is an overview of the harmonic minor scale in the key of c, using the 3 notes per string. O ne of the most common parent scales, harmonic minor is a bit elusive when it comes to using it in a jazz guitar context. The lesson could not be displayed because javascript is disabled. If youre using your laptop in the studio, just resize one of the diagrams so that the scale youre teaching fills the the screen, then put the laptop on top of the piano.