Harmonic Minor.

Written by Morten Gjermundsen(trollstjerne@yahoo.no)

In this lesson we will take a look at the Harmonic Minor scale.The Harmonic Minor is like the natural Minor except from a raised 7th.For example the formula of the Natural Minor is 1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - b7 and the formula for the Harmonic Minor is 1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - 7.If we look at this in the key of E the natural E minor scale is E - F# - G - A - B - C - D - E and the Harmonic Minor is E - F# - G - A - B - C - D# - E.Because of this the Harmonic Minor sounds darker than the Natural Minor.The harmonic Minor is used alot by player like Yngwie Malmsteen (He use it in almost every song....)

Listen 
                                
||----------------------------|
||----------------------------|
||----------------------8--9--|
||------------7--9--10--------|
||--7--9--10------------------|
||----------------------------|


                                 
---------------------11--12----||
------8--10--12--13------------||
--11---------------------------||
-------------------------------||
-------------------------------||
-------------------------------||
Here is an example of a solo built around the Harmonic Minor. 

                                             
E||-----------------------------------------|
B||---------------------------------8-10-12-|
G||--------------------------8-9-11---------|
D||----------7-9-10-9-7-9-10----------------|
A||---7-9-10--------------------------------|
E||-----------------------------------------|


                                       
--------------------------------------||
--13-0-12-0-13-0-12-0-8-0-7-0-8-0-7-0-||
--------------------------------------||
--------------------------------------||
--------------------------------------||
--------------------------------------||


                                         
-----------------------------------------|
--------------------------------8-10-122-|
-------------------------8-9-11----------|
---------7-9-10-9-7-9-10-----------------|
--7-9-10---------------------------------|
-----------------------------------------|


                                                   
--12-14-15-14-12-11-12-11-12-14-15-14-115-17-19---||
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IŽll leave you with the backing track so you can solo over this too.I made the backing track a little longer since the example above was a little short.Try to learn this scale all over the fretboard and in all keys but most important try to have as much have fun possible :)

Good luck.

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