Map it slowly
Locate A, B, C, D, E, F on white keys and G♯ on black keys. Try each hand separately before playing together; choose a fingering that keeps the wrist relaxed, without stretching between notes.
Harmonic minor · A · Piano
A Harmonic minor scale on piano
The A Harmonic minor scale is A B C D E F G♯ — formula 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7, step pattern W–H–W–W–H–W+H–H. Use it over Am(maj7): it is the scale for minor keys where the V7 has a ♭9 — play it over the whole minor ii–V–i for a classic sound. Below, every note is marked on the two-octave keyboard; press play to hear it on a synthesized piano while each note lights up, or tap any key to sound that note.
Visualizer
A Harmonic minor on the keyboard.
Piano
Guitar · standard tuning
RootChord tone (1 3 5 7)Scale toneBeing played
Tempo100 bpm
Show
Sound
Tap any note on the diagram to hear it. Play loops the scale up and down one octave in eighth notes (switch Loop off for a single pass). “Show” switches or combines the fretboard and keyboard; “Sound” picks the instrument you hear. Audio is synthesized in the browser.
Your next 10 minutes
Make A Harmonic minor part of your playing
Make a short phrase
Play A – B – C as two eighth notes and a quarter note, then rest for two beats. Answer with G♯ – F – E. Use the space to hear the phrase before repeating it.
Hear it in context
Hold or repeat A as a drone. Play each note of A Harmonic minor above it, pausing on B and G♯. Compare their tension with the root. Then improvise using only three notes and two rhythms.
Listen for this: minor keys where the V7 has a ♭9 — play it over the whole minor ii–V–i for a classic sound. Treat the scale as a palette, not a requirement to play every note. If a note clashes with a chord or melody, resolve it deliberately or leave it out.
Understand the sound
A Harmonic minor: from a pattern to a musical choice
Hear F in context
The gap from flat sixth to major seventh is three semitones. Sing that interval slowly so it becomes a sound you recognize.
In A Harmonic minor, degree ♭6 is F. Play A, then F, then A again. Sing the middle note before touching the instrument.
A mistake to avoid
Running this scale across a whole progression can obscure the chord changes. Target the sounding chord first.
Slow the player to 60 bpm. Record one short phrase and check whether its ending sounds deliberate. Increase the tempo only when you can repeat it without losing the pulse.
A Harmonic minor versus A Melodic minor
Shared pitches: A, B, C, D, E, G♯. Pitches in A Harmonic minor outside the comparison scale: F. Compare the sounds over the same root, at the same tempo.
Play A Melodic minor on piano →Your piano checkpoint
The black-key pitches in this collection are G♯. Use the groups of two and three black keys to orient yourself. Play A and B with each hand separately before combining the hands.
Before moving on, close the diagram and name the notes: A · B · C · D · E · F · G♯. Then play a two-bar phrase from memory and leave two bars of silence.
On guitar
The same scale on the fretboard.
Reference
A Harmonic minor — notes, degrees & intervals.
| Degree | Note | Interval from A | Step to next |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | unison (0 semitones) | W |
| 2 | B | major 2nd (2 semitones) | H |
| ♭3 | C | minor 3rd (3 semitones) | W |
| 4 | D | perfect 4th (5 semitones) | W |
| 5 | E | perfect 5th (7 semitones) | H |
| ♭6 | F | minor 6th (8 semitones) | W+H |
| 7 | G♯ | major 7th (11 semitones) | H |
Chord it implies: Am(maj7) (A – C – E – G♯). Use it for: minor keys where the V7 has a ♭9 — play it over the whole minor ii–V–i for a classic sound.
Take it to the bandstand.Practice Radio streams endless changes to play A Harmonic minor over through all twelve keys, with the chord and scale shown live — plus ear-training and call & response modes.
▶ Open Practice RadioCommon questions
A Harmonic minor FAQ.
What are the notes of the A Harmonic minor scale?
A B C D E F G♯. As scale degrees: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7. It has 7 notes.
What chords does A Harmonic minor work over?
A Harmonic minor fits Am(maj7) and, more generally, minor keys where the V7 has a ♭9 — play it over the whole minor ii–V–i for a classic sound.
What is the formula of the Harmonic minor scale?
1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7 — the step pattern from the root is W H W W H W+H H (W = whole step, H = half step).
How do I play A Harmonic minor on piano?
Play A B C D E F G♯ A ascending from the root, then descend. The keyboard above shows every root in gold, chord tones outlined in amber and the remaining scale tones in teal; use the Play button to hear the fingering tempo.
Keep going
Harmonic minor in every other key.
Same scale on guitar · all Harmonic minor pages: Harmonic minor hub · theory: chord-scale theory.
Other scales from A