What notes are in the b harmonic minor scale?

1 Answer
Truong-Son N.
Oct 1, 2016

#"B C"^♯ "D E F"^♯ "G A"^♯ "B"# if going up in pitch (left to right)
#"B D"^♭ "D E G"^♭ "G B"^♭ "B"# if going down in pitch (right to left)

Before we define a harmonic minor scale, let us define our notation using a major scale.

For a D major scale, we can write it as

#"D E F"^♯ "G A B C"^♯ "D"#

In pure numbers, it would be

#"1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8"#

where the distance from #3# to #4# and #7# to #8# is a half step.

That allows us to use relative intervals to indicate new scales.

Recall that a B natural minor scale is the relative minor to D major (the Aeolian mode), and is said to be a minor third (3 semitones) below D major.

Let's therefore proceed to write this B natural minor scale by shifting leftwards 3 semitones, but keeping the same key signature (#F^♯, C^♯#).

Ultimately, we end up constructing the same scale as a B major scale except modified with a flatted #3#, #6#, and #7#:

#"1 2 3"^♭ "4 5 6"^♭# #7^♭# #8#

Finally, a harmonic minor scale relative to a natural minor scale has the #7^♭# augmented a half step. So, we'd have #7^♭ -> (7^♭)^♯#, or #7#:

#"1 2 3"^♭ "4 5 6"^♭# #bb(7)# #8#

Convert this back to letter notation to get:

#"B C"^♯ "D E F"^♯ "G A"^♯ "B"#

On a piano, it would look like this:

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