STRINGSCALES

B♭ harmonic major Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: F, Gb, A, Bb, C, D, Eb at frets 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11

A string: A, Bb, C, D, Eb, F, Gb, A at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12

D string: D, Eb, F, Gb, A, Bb, C, D at frets 0, 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 12

G string: A, Bb, C, D, Eb, F, Gb at frets 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11

B string: C, D, Eb, F, Gb, A, Bb at frets 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11

High E string: F, Gb, A, Bb, C, D, Eb at frets 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11

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Bb harmonic major

The harmonic major scale is a major scale with a flat 6th: bright below, shadowed above, with harmonic minor's augmented 2nd gap relocated between the 6th and 7th. It lets a major key borrow the minor iv chord without leaving the scale, a favorite bittersweet cadence from Schubert to the Beatles. Its modes include the lydian diminished scale.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

B♭

I

B♭maj
C

ii°

Cdim
D

iii

Dm
E♭

iv

E♭m
F

V

Fmaj
G♭

bVI+

G♭aug
A

vii°

Adim

Same notes, different mode

Bb harmonic major uses the same notes as the scales below. Start from a different note and you get a new mode built on the very same note set.

Eb lydian diminished

harmonic major in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • Play Bb major, then flatten only the 6th (Gb): that single change is harmonic major, brightness with one shadowed degree.
  • Its classic use is the minor iv chord in a major key: over IV minor in Bb, this scale is the exact fit.
  • Lean on the bVI (Gb) to V half step at cadences, the borrowed-from-minor sigh inside a major key.
  • The augmented 2nd between bVI (Gb) and VII gives melodies an exotic lift right before the leading tone resolves to Bb.

How to play B♭ harmonic major on guitar

Open A and D strings are the two that belong here, a major seventh and a major third above Bb, so treat them as passing notes rather than a bed to hold. Root sits at fret 1 of the A string, which puts an A-shape barre almost at the nut and the E-shape at 6. Capo fret 1 makes it A shapes. FM is the V and Gbaug the bVI+.

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