The Harmonic Minor Primer
This months featured Shortbook™ "The Harmonic Minor Primer", is a primo practice guide for the improvising musician, featuring exercises and sequences based exclusively on the Harmonic Minor Scale system - in all 12 keys
As an essential tool, the Harmonic Minor Scale, along with Melodic Minor and the Major Scale derived minor modes - Dorian, Phrygian and Aeolian (aka Natural Minor) - has been a traditional favorite among improvisers and composers for expressing minor tonality.
This has been particularly true for the early Bebop pioneers, in that Harmonic Minor - while possessing several "avoid notes" (as does the Major Scale), also contains all the required diatonic tonal relationships to form a complete "in house" minor ii-V7-i cadence. This includes a b5 in the ii7 chord (D-F-Ab-C in C min), as well as the altered extensions b9 & b13 of the dominant V7 (G-B-D-F-Ab-Eb).
While it is common to express a tonic minor (i) chord with a Melodic Minor scale - in order to "avoid the avoid note" (Ab in C Harmonic Minor) - the interval of an augmented 2nd (Ab - B) thus created between Harmonic Minor's 6th & 7th scale degrees give this scale its soul and identity.
As an essential tool, the Harmonic Minor Scale, along with Melodic Minor and the Major Scale derived minor modes - Dorian, Phrygian and Aeolian (aka Natural Minor) - has been a traditional favorite among improvisers and composers for expressing minor tonality.
This has been particularly true for the early Bebop pioneers, in that Harmonic Minor - while possessing several "avoid notes" (as does the Major Scale), also contains all the required diatonic tonal relationships to form a complete "in house" minor ii-V7-i cadence. This includes a b5 in the ii7 chord (D-F-Ab-C in C min), as well as the altered extensions b9 & b13 of the dominant V7 (G-B-D-F-Ab-Eb).
While it is common to express a tonic minor (i) chord with a Melodic Minor scale - in order to "avoid the avoid note" (Ab in C Harmonic Minor) - the interval of an augmented 2nd (Ab - B) thus created between Harmonic Minor's 6th & 7th scale degrees give this scale its soul and identity.
The Harmonic Minor Scale can be formed by either taking a Major Scale of the same letter name (parallel) and flatting its 3rd & 6th degrees (C Major to C Harmonic Minor), or by taking its relative Major scale, making its 6th degree the root (Aeolian Mode or Natural Minor) and then raising its 7th degree (Eb Major to C Harmonic Minor), thus giving the scale a leading tone, as well as forming a diminished 7th chord on its 2nd, 4th, 6th & 7th degrees.
Ex. 1 below illustrates and names the 7 modes of the C Harmonic Minor scale (aka C Aeolian Natural 7). The most commonly used mode in the system, aside from the first, would most likely be the 5th mode (G Phrygian Natural 3) which is a dominant scale, containing the altered extensions b9 & b13, as mentioned previously.
Ex. 1.
Ex. 1 below illustrates and names the 7 modes of the C Harmonic Minor scale (aka C Aeolian Natural 7). The most commonly used mode in the system, aside from the first, would most likely be the 5th mode (G Phrygian Natural 3) which is a dominant scale, containing the altered extensions b9 & b13, as mentioned previously.
Ex. 1.
Ex. 2 shows the Harmonic Minor system in vertical fashion, as six-note 11th chord arpeggios built on each ascending scale step. In this manner, it's easy to view the triadic content of the scale.
Harmonic Minor contains 2 minor triads (scale steps i & iv), 2 Major triads (V & VI), 1 augmented triad (iii) and 2 diminished triads (ii & vii).
Ex. 2.
Harmonic Minor contains 2 minor triads (scale steps i & iv), 2 Major triads (V & VI), 1 augmented triad (iii) and 2 diminished triads (ii & vii).
Ex. 2.
"The Harmonic Minor Primer", also breaks down the scale intervallically, into sequences of 3rds, 4ths & 6ths. In Ex. 3, approach notes, enclosures and passing tones are employed in ascending and descending lines of C Harmonic Minor in 3rds.
Ex. 3
Ex. 3
The minor ii-V7-i examples in Ex. 4 thru 6 below all contain material from a single C Harmonic Minor scale.
Ex. 4
Ex. 4
Listen
Ex. 5
Listen
Ex. 6
Listen
Understanding and mastery of the Harmonic Minor Scale system is essential for the improviser at any level. "The Harmonic Minor Primer" will not only open the door in that respect, but will potentially keep one in the room of continuous discovery.
B. Stern
B. Stern
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