The Harmonic Minor Scale

It is derived from the Natural Minor Scale with a raised 7th degree but can also be thought of as a Major scale with a flattened 3rd and flattened 6th.
The Harmonic minor was derived by the need for a Dominant chord on the 5th degree (V) of the minor scale - enabling a Perfect Cadence (a Dominant 7th V chord resolving to a I minor chord). In the Natural minor scale the V (5) chord is a minor chord (Gmin7, G Bb D F, in the key of C). By changing the note Bb in the scale to the note B it changes the V chord to a Dominant 7th chord (G7, G B D F, in the key of C). This enables a correct V-I resolution. More on this in a different lesson - not for here...

Scale Formula

The scale forumula for the major scale must be memorised, as you will use it often to work out chord tones. The formula describes the interval distances between each note of the scale.

T ^ S ^ T ^ T ^ S ^ ST ^ S
(T= Tone, S= Semitone, ST= 1.5 Tones)

Comparison With Major Scale

C Major = C D E F G A B C (1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1)
C Harmonic Minor = C D Eb F G Ab B C (1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7 1)
Harmonic Minor Shapes
E form

D form

C form

A form

G form