Harmonic Minor scale · 7 notes
C harmonic minor scale on guitar
The C harmonic minor scale has 7 notes: C, D, E♭, F, G, A♭ and B. Natural minor with a raised 7th: dramatic, neoclassical and a little exotic.
Notes
- C
- D
- E♭
- F
- G
- A♭
- B
Formula
1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7
Steps
W – H – W – W – H – W+H – H
Sound
Dramatic, classical and slightly Middle Eastern
C harmonic minor on the whole fretboard
Every C harmonic minor note from the open strings to the 15th fret in standard tuning (E A D G B E). The root, C, is shown in red so you can always find home.
A shape to learn first
You don’t need the whole neck at once. This hand position is anchored on a root note on the 6th (low E) string, which is how most guitarists find a scale in any key.
Root on the 6th (low E) string
C at fret 8. 7th position: frets 7–11.
In the Guitar Scale Finder app you also get the chords of C harmonic minor as chord diagrams, and can search all 1,860 scales for the notes you play.
Intervals and formula
Measured from C, the C harmonic minor scale is built from these intervals. It contains 2 flats (E♭ and A♭). Compared with C minor, it has B (7) instead of B♭.
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | root | 0 |
| 2 | D | major 2nd | 2 |
| ♭3 | E♭ | minor 3rd | 3 |
| 4 | F | perfect 4th | 5 |
| 5 | G | perfect 5th | 7 |
| ♭6 | A♭ | minor 6th | 8 |
| 7 | B | major 7th | 11 |
Chords in C harmonic minor
Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each degree. These are the chords that “belong” to C harmonic minor: any of them will sound at home under a melody in C harmonic minor.
- iCmC · E♭ · GCm(maj7)
- ii°D°D · F · A♭Dm7♭5
- ♭III+E♭+E♭ · G · BE♭+maj7
- ivFmF · A♭ · CFm7
- VGG · B · DG7
- ♭VIA♭A♭ · C · E♭A♭maj7
- vii°B°B · D · FB°7
Progressions to try
- Cm – Fm – G i–iv–V · minor with a major V
- D° – G – Cm ii°–V–i · minor jazz cadence
- Cm – A♭ – G i–♭VI–V
How to use C harmonic minor
Reach for it over minor keys where the V chord is major (or V7), neoclassical metal, flamenco-flavoured and classical-style passages. Its sound is dramatic, classical and slightly Middle Eastern.
Tip: Use it mainly over the V7 chord of a minor key (E7 in A minor). That one move makes a minor progression sound instantly “classical”.
Where to find C on every string
Knowing where the root sits lets you start this scale anywhere. Here is every C between the open string and the 12th fret.
| String | Frets with C |
|---|---|
| High E (1st) | 8 |
| B (2nd) | 1 |
| G (3rd) | 5 |
| D (4th) | 10 |
| A (5th) | 3 |
| Low E (6th) | 8 |
Same notes, different name
These scales from the Scale Finder library contain exactly the same notes as C harmonic minor. They sound different because a different note is treated as home.
C harmonic minor scale FAQ
What notes are in the C harmonic minor scale?
The C harmonic minor scale has 7 notes: C, D, E♭, F, G, A♭ and B. Its formula is 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7. It contains 2 flats (E♭ and A♭).
What chords are in C harmonic minor?
Harmonising the C harmonic minor scale in thirds gives Cm (i), D° (ii°), E♭+ (♭III+), Fm (iv), G (V), A♭ (♭VI) and B° (vii°).
Where do you play the C harmonic minor scale on guitar?
The root, C, is at fret 8 on the low E string and fret 3 on the A string. A good first shape covers frets 7–11, starting from the root on the 6th string.