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Now that I’ve covered all 7 of the modes, it’s time to have a look at some other types of scales that are out there. One of my old favorites is the harmonic minor scale. This scale has two flats, similar to the Dorian mode. However, instead of having a b3rd and b7th like the Dorian mode this scale has a b3rd and a b6th. Having a b6th degree changes the dynamic a bit here. For comparison, let’s have a look at a few different modes and scales.
Have a look at the E Harmonic Minor scale. Your notes for E Harmonic Minor scale are E F# G A B C D# E
|-E----F#-G----A----B--C-------D#-E-
|-B-C-------D#-E----F#-G-----A----B-
|-G----A----B--C-------D#-E----F#-G-
|---D#-E----F#-G----A-----B--C------
|-A----B--C------D#-E-----F#-G----A-
|-E----F#-G----A----B--C-------D#-E-
|-0---2-3---5---7-8------11-12----14-15----17----19-20-------23-24-
|-0-1-----4-5---7-8---10----12-13-------16-17----19-20----22----24-
|-0---2---4-5-----8-9----11-12----14----16-17-------20-21----23-24-
|---1-2---4-5---7---9-10-------13-14----16-17----19----21-22-------
|-0---2-3-----6-7---9-10----12----14-15-------18-19----21-22----24-
|-0---2-3---5---7-8------11-12----14-15----17----19-20-------23-24-
Now the E Dorian mode. Notes for E Dorian mode are E F# G A B C# D.
|-E-F#-G----A----B----C#-D----E-
|-B-C#-D----E----F#-G----A----B-
|-G-A----B----C#-D----E----F#-G-
|-D-E----F#-G----A----B----C#-D-
|-A-B----C#-D----E----F#-G----A-
|-E-F#-G----A----B----C#-D----E-
|-0-2-3---5---7---9-10----12-14-15----17----19----21-22----24-
|-0-2-3---5---7-8---10----12-14-15----17----19-20----22----24-
|-0-2---4---6-7---9----11-12-14----16----18-19----21----23-24-
|-0-2---4-5---7---9----11-12-14----16-17----19----21----23-24-
|-0-2---4-5---7---9-10----12-14----16-17----19----21-22----24-
|-0-2-3---5---7---9-10----12-14-15----17----19----21-22----24-
And finally, an E Aeolian (or natural minor) mode. Notes for Natural Minor (E Aeolian) would be E F# G A B C D E
|-E---F#-G----A-B--C----D----E-
|-B-C----D----E-F#-G----A----B-
|-G---A----B--C-D----E----F#-G-
|-D---E----F#-G-A----B--C----D-
|-A---B--C----D-E----F#-G----A-
|-E---F#-G----A-B--C----D----E-
|-0---2-3---5-7-8---10----12----14-15----17-19-20----22----24-
|-0-1---3---5-7-8---10----12-13----15----17-19-20----22----24-
|-0---2---4-5-7---9----11-12----14----16-17-19----21----23-24-
|-0---2---4-5-7---9-10----12----14----16-17-19----21-22----24-
|-0---2-3---5-7---9-10----12----14-15----17-19----21-22----24-
|-0---2-3---5-7-8---10----12----14-15----17-19-20----22----24-
So now that you can see the subtle differences in each one of those, let’s try playing an example of each. It’s important to note that while these scales and modes are similar, the different degrees that are flat will have a big impact on the overall sound. I’ll be sticking with the same E examples I’ve got up there. I’ll keep them in the same position on the neck as well, so you can really hear the difference in each.
E Harmonic Minor
|----------------------------------------11-12-
|----------------------------------12-13-------
|-------------------------11-12-14-------------
|-------------------13-14----------------------
|----------12-14-15----------------------------
|-12-14-15-------------------------------------
E Dorian
|-------------------------------------------12-
|-------------------------------------14-15----
|----------------------------12-14-16----------
|-------------------12-14-16-------------------
|----------12-14-16----------------------------
|-12-14-15-------------------------------------
E Aeolian
|-------------------------------------------12-
|-------------------------------------13-15----
|----------------------------12-14-16----------
|-------------------12-14-16-------------------
|----------12-14-15----------------------------
|-12-14-15-------------------------------------
Now with that, hopefully you can hear what I mean. Similar, but very different feel to each. Now, onto the Harmonic Minor. So now that you’ve seen how that scale looks, you might now wonder, what kind of chords do I have to work with Harmonic Minor Scale? It works just like finding out your chords in a mode. You have a set of 7 notes (not counting the repeating octave root note). All you need to do is look at those notes and see what chords can be constructed.
For example, switching it up to A Harmonic minor we have this set of notes:
A B C D E F G#. Let’s take C. You will probably notice the C and E off the bat. We also have a G# in there. So if we combine those together, we have C E G# which is an C augmented chord. Augmented simply means a #5 scale degree. However, in this case the Caug chord is the only C chord available. Technically though, this isn’t the case. It’s typically common knowledge that a chord have at least 3 notes. However, if you’re looking to a simple major or minor chord, this isn’t always true.
To form a major chord, you normally have a root, 3rd and 5th. One of those notes is really unnecessary, acting more to fill out the chord. That degree is the 5th. Really, you need only need a root and a 3rd to form a chord. This is because the root is needed to name the chord and the 3rd is needed to determine whether the chord is major or minor, making it a necessary element. So in truth, you would also have a C major available, but it wouldn’t be the full chord, more of a dyad. This also holds true for minor chords, you can have just the root and b3rd degree. The 5th can be omitted from any chord it’s present in and that chord would still be a chord. Power chords would be a notable exception, but they aren’t real chords anyway. They’re just working the perfect 5th element. The reason power chords aren’t chords is because they can’t be determined to be either major or minor. For anyone wondering why.
While I don’t include chords that function like that along with the usual chords, it’s something you can use as well. It’s a way to open up a slightly new tonal texture. You don’t leave the scale either, so it’s a great way to interject something a bit different within the same framework.
So let’s use D Harmonic Minor and see what chords we have here.
D E F G A A# C#
Dm Edim Faug Gm A A# C#dim
Dsus2 Edim7 Gm7 A7 A#maj7 C#dim7
Dsus4 Gdim Aaug A#m C#aug
Gdim7 Asus4 A#dim
Gsus2 A#dim7
Utilizing this information, let’s work out some chord bits here. First, let’s look at a calmer strummed bit. I’ll just put the chords down here in order, but I’m not going to say how long you need to strum them. Try coming up with your own strumming pattern here.
|-1--3--0--3-----0--1---|
|-3--3--2--3-----2--3---|
|-2--3--0--2-----2--2---|
|-0--5--2--0-----2--0---|
|----5--0--------0------|
|----3------------------|
Dm Gm A7 Dsus4 A Dm
Now let’s try tapping out some chords. We’ll take those same chords I used up there and tap them higher up. This will just be a different take on the same chords. Plus you’ll hear how different chords can sound when different techniques are applied to them.
T T T T T T T T
|-17p10h13-17p10h13----------------------------------------17p10h15-17p10h15-
|-------------------15p11p8h11-15p11p8h11------------------------------------
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------
|-----------------------------------------14p11p8h11-17p11-------------------
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dm Gm A7 Dsus4
T T T T T
|-------------------17p10h13-17p10h13-17p10h13-
|----------------------------------------------
|-21p18p14-21p18p14----------------------------
|----------------------------------------------
|----------------------------------------------
|----------------------------------------------
A Dm
Chords are often difficult to use when you’re playing at higher gain settings. Even with a good amp and active pickups, it’s still hard to find a time when full chords can be used. My solution to this is a simple one. Instead of playing full chords, we can play parts of chords. You can play a dyad to have a chord or you can split the chord up and connect the parts with a single note run. This way, you’ve still got your chord, but in a way that it can be distinguishable. Going with A, let’s have a look at this.
|---------------------------------1--------------------|
|-1---------------------------------1------------------|
|-2---------2-------------------2-----1h2p1h2p1h2p1h2~-|
|---0-0-3-7-2---------2-3-3-3-3-3----------------------|
|---------0---2-2-2-2-0--------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------|
Am Dm Esus4 F -maj7
I had to put the palm mute marks up on top so there would be room on the bottom for the chord names. Now you might notice that after the Am, the palm muted open D string could act as a movement to an Asus4 chord. But in theory terms, it really acts as more to a calling of the tonality of a sus4 chord, not exactly like an Asus4 chord. My way of thinking on this type of thing is the two previous notes are still in your mind, you still can recall those notes and by introducing a new note quickly after that could act as a pull towards a new tonality, you can sort of create the illusion of a different chord.
Let’s take this in a different direction. Say you want to get a riff out of a Harmonic Minor scale. Let’s look at two different riffs out of the same E Harmonic Minor scale, just so you can see an example of what you can do with it. These are just a small scale look, but you might get a feel for what this scale has to offer the sonic palette. The * notes a palm mute.
|-------------------------------------------
|-------------------------------------------
|-------------------4-x-5---------2---------
|-------------------4-x-5-7-------2---------
|-2-----------------------7-5-5-5---------2-
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---------3-3-3---3-2-0-0-
* * * * * * * * * *
|------------------------------------------
|------------------------------------------
|------------------------------------12-12-
|---5---5---5---5-5---5---5-----5-13----10-
|-3---6---3---6---3-3---6---5-3------------
|---------------------------3--------------
Let’s look at something called economy picking now. This type of picking involves alternate picking notes on the same string, but doing a bit of a mini sweep as you move up or down a string. For example, and using a D Harmonic Minor scale, it would look like this:
|-----------------------5-6-9-10-9-6--------------------------
|-----------------5-6-8--------------10-8-6-------------------
|-------------6-7---------------------------9-7-6-------------
|-------5-7-8-------------------------------------8-7-5-------
|-5-7-8-------------------------------------------------8-7-5-
|-------------------------------------------------------------
d u d d u d d d d u d d u d u d u u d u u d u u d u u d u
You can see the advantage this type of picking brings if you’re trying to speed up a run of this type. That run was just a sticking with the scale itself.
Let’s end this lesson with some lead parts. I’ll try to incorporate some economy picking and tapping into these. The first will be a slower lead in A Harmonic Minor.
|-------------------20-19----17pb19r17-17v----------------------
|----12-13-12-------------22---------------15-------------------
|-14----------14-13---------------------------14----------------
|------------------------------------------------12h14b15r14p12-
|---------------------------------------------------------------
|---------------------------------------------------------------
A few notes on this one here. To start, the pre bend needs to be hit perfectly. Otherwise, it won’t quite sound right if you don’t hit the right note. The hammer on near the end, from the 12th fret D to the E going into the bend to the 15th fret F does not need any further action from the picking hand. Simply hammer on, then bend, return the bend and pull back off to the D. Remember, this is a slower part. I wanted this one to have some air between the notes.
This next one will be a bit more complex, but sticking with A Harmonic Minor.
T T
|--------------------------17p10h13-17p10h13----------17----------16----20-
|-----------------------18-------------------12----------12----15----18----
|--------------13h14h16-------------------------10----------10-------------
|---------9-10-------------------------------------12----------------------
|-0-3-7p5------------------------------------------------------------------
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bdim Bdim7 Ddim
|-19/22-----------------------
|-------17-15---------------
|-------------14p13-------2-
|-------------------7\5---2-
|-----------------------3-0-
|---------------------------
This one is meant to be a faster run through. You’ll notice that I used three arpeggios in this, a Bdim, a Bdim7, then I chose a Ddim so I had a minor third up from B. This contributes to the darker tonality here. It’s really just more complex in terms of speed. Playing with steady speed throughout is going to be the hardest part. I come up with stuff even I have trouble with at first and I’m the one who came up with it. My brain and my hands don’t always agree on things at first.
And that ends my lesson on the Harmonic Minor scale. My goal for this lesson was to not only show you the Harmonic Minor scale, but also throw in theory elements and technique in as well. That’s my goal is for these lessons, to teach you all not only a scale, but other things as well. My way of doing more than one thing at a time.
Next week, I’m thinking the Blues scale. That’s another favorite of mine and tremendously useful in terms of riffs and leads. It’s one way to lend a different style to your playing simply by using a different scale. So until that time, I hope you guys find this useful.
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