Harmonic Minor scale · 7 notes
E harmonic minor scale on guitar
The E harmonic minor scale has 7 notes: E, F♯, G, A, B, C and D♯. Natural minor with a raised 7th: dramatic, neoclassical and a little exotic.
Notes
- E
- F♯
- G
- A
- B
- C
- D♯
Formula
1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7
Steps
W – H – W – W – H – W+H – H
Sound
Dramatic, classical and slightly Middle Eastern
E harmonic minor on the whole fretboard
Every E harmonic minor note from the open strings to the 15th fret in standard tuning (E A D G B E). The root, E, 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
E at fret 0. Open position: frets 0–4.
In the Guitar Scale Finder app you also get the chords of E harmonic minor as chord diagrams, and can search all 1,860 scales for the notes you play.
Intervals and formula
Measured from E, the E harmonic minor scale is built from these intervals. It contains 2 sharps (F♯ and D♯). Compared with E minor, it has D♯ (7) instead of D.
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | root | 0 |
| 2 | F♯ | major 2nd | 2 |
| ♭3 | G | minor 3rd | 3 |
| 4 | A | perfect 4th | 5 |
| 5 | B | perfect 5th | 7 |
| ♭6 | C | minor 6th | 8 |
| 7 | D♯ | major 7th | 11 |
Chords in E harmonic minor
Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each degree. These are the chords that “belong” to E harmonic minor: any of them will sound at home under a melody in E harmonic minor.
- iEmE · G · BEm(maj7)
- ii°F♯°F♯ · A · CF♯m7♭5
- ♭III+G+G · B · D♯G+maj7
- ivAmA · C · EAm7
- VBB · D♯ · F♯B7
- ♭VICC · E · GCmaj7
- vii°D♯°D♯ · F♯ · AD♯°7
Progressions to try
- Em – Am – B i–iv–V · minor with a major V
- F♯° – B – Em ii°–V–i · minor jazz cadence
- Em – C – B i–♭VI–V
How to use E 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 E on every string
Knowing where the root sits lets you start this scale anywhere. Here is every E between the open string and the 12th fret.
| String | Frets with E |
|---|---|
| High E (1st) | 0, 12 |
| B (2nd) | 5 |
| G (3rd) | 9 |
| D (4th) | 2 |
| A (5th) | 7 |
| Low E (6th) | 0, 12 |
Same notes, different name
These scales from the Scale Finder library contain exactly the same notes as E harmonic minor. They sound different because a different note is treated as home.
E harmonic minor scale FAQ
What notes are in the E harmonic minor scale?
The E harmonic minor scale has 7 notes: E, F♯, G, A, B, C and D♯. Its formula is 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7. It contains 2 sharps (F♯ and D♯).
What chords are in E harmonic minor?
Harmonising the E harmonic minor scale in thirds gives Em (i), F♯° (ii°), G+ (♭III+), Am (iv), B (V), C (♭VI) and D♯° (vii°).
Where do you play the E harmonic minor scale on guitar?
The root, E, is at fret 0 on the low E string and fret 7 on the A string. A good first shape covers frets 0–4, starting from the root on the 6th string.