Harmonic Minor scale · 7 notes
G harmonic minor scale on guitar
The G harmonic minor scale has 7 notes: G, A, B♭, C, D, E♭ and F♯. Natural minor with a raised 7th: dramatic, neoclassical and a little exotic.
Notes
- G
- A
- B♭
- C
- D
- E♭
- F♯
Formula
1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7
Steps
W – H – W – W – H – W+H – H
Sound
Dramatic, classical and slightly Middle Eastern
G harmonic minor on the whole fretboard
Every G harmonic minor note from the open strings to the 15th fret in standard tuning (E A D G B E). The root, G, 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
G at fret 3. 2nd position: frets 2–6.
In the Guitar Scale Finder app you also get the chords of G harmonic minor as chord diagrams, and can search all 1,860 scales for the notes you play.
Intervals and formula
Measured from G, the G harmonic minor scale is built from these intervals. It contains 1 sharp (F♯) and 2 flats (B♭ and E♭). Compared with G minor, it has F♯ (7) instead of F.
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G | root | 0 |
| 2 | A | major 2nd | 2 |
| ♭3 | B♭ | minor 3rd | 3 |
| 4 | C | perfect 4th | 5 |
| 5 | D | perfect 5th | 7 |
| ♭6 | E♭ | minor 6th | 8 |
| 7 | F♯ | major 7th | 11 |
Chords in G harmonic minor
Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each degree. These are the chords that “belong” to G harmonic minor: any of them will sound at home under a melody in G harmonic minor.
- iGmG · B♭ · DGm(maj7)
- ii°A°A · C · E♭Am7♭5
- ♭III+B♭+B♭ · D · F♯B♭+maj7
- ivCmC · E♭ · GCm7
- VDD · F♯ · AD7
- ♭VIE♭E♭ · G · B♭E♭maj7
- vii°F♯°F♯ · A · CF♯°7
Progressions to try
- Gm – Cm – D i–iv–V · minor with a major V
- A° – D – Gm ii°–V–i · minor jazz cadence
- Gm – E♭ – D i–♭VI–V
How to use G 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 G on every string
Knowing where the root sits lets you start this scale anywhere. Here is every G between the open string and the 12th fret.
| String | Frets with G |
|---|---|
| High E (1st) | 3 |
| B (2nd) | 8 |
| G (3rd) | 0, 12 |
| D (4th) | 5 |
| A (5th) | 10 |
| Low E (6th) | 3 |
Same notes, different name
These scales from the Scale Finder library contain exactly the same notes as G harmonic minor. They sound different because a different note is treated as home.
G harmonic minor scale FAQ
What notes are in the G harmonic minor scale?
The G harmonic minor scale has 7 notes: G, A, B♭, C, D, E♭ and F♯. Its formula is 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7. It contains 1 sharp (F♯) and 2 flats (B♭ and E♭).
What chords are in G harmonic minor?
Harmonising the G harmonic minor scale in thirds gives Gm (i), A° (ii°), B♭+ (♭III+), Cm (iv), D (V), E♭ (♭VI) and F♯° (vii°).
Where do you play the G harmonic minor scale on guitar?
The root, G, is at fret 3 on the low E string and fret 10 on the A string. A good first shape covers frets 2–6, starting from the root on the 6th string.