STRINGSCALES

B harmonic minor Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, F#, G, A#, B, C#, D, E at frets 0, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12

A string: A#, B, C#, D, E, F#, G at frets 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10

D string: D, E, F#, G, A#, B, C#, D at frets 0, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12

G string: G, A#, B, C#, D, E, F#, G at frets 0, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12

B string: B, C#, D, E, F#, G, A#, B at frets 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12

High E string: E, F#, G, A#, B, C#, D, E at frets 0, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12

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B harmonic minor

The harmonic minor scale raises the 7th of natural minor, creating an augmented 2nd gap between the flat 6th and the leading tone. That gap is its signature: dramatic, vaguely Eastern, and instantly recognizable in classical themes, neoclassical shred and surf rock. Harmonically it exists so a minor key can have a real dominant chord, so try it over the V chord resolving to a minor i.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

B

i

Bm
C♯

ii°

C♯dim
D

bIII+

Daug
E

iv

Em
F♯

V

F♯maj
G

bVI

Gmaj
A♯

vii°

A♯dim

Characteristic note: A# (natural 7), the raised seventh that pulls strongly back to the root.

Same notes, different mode

B harmonic minor 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.

C# locrian 6D major augmentedE dorian #4F# phrygian dominantG lydian #9A# ultralocrian

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

tip
  • The augmented 2nd between the flat 6th (G) and the leading tone (A#) is the signature: place it deliberately instead of avoiding it.
  • Use B harmonic minor over the V7 chord in a minor key, resolving to the i; that is the scale's original job.
  • For neoclassical lines, run the scale in triplets ending on the 5th (F#) or root, Malmsteen style.
  • Alternate natural and harmonic minor over a static B minor vamp: raise the 7th only when heading home to the root.

How to play B harmonic minor on guitar

Open B doubles the root while low E, D, and G supply the fourth, minor third, and minor sixth, so drone-backed lines work across five strings. Only the A string sits outside the key. F# major acts as the dominant, which lets you cadence hard onto that open B root. Capo at fret 2 remaps everything to A harmonic minor fingerings, with barres at fret 7 for the E-shape and a shift at fret 11.

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