Harmonic Minor Scale Bass Lesson

Want to learn the coolest bass scale? If so, you have to check out this harmonic minor scale bass lesson.

You’ll learn:

• How to play the harmonic minor scale
• How to construct it using intervals
• How to visualize it across the bass fretboard

This is one of the most common alternatives to the minor scale, and it’s an amazing scale to learn for any advancing bassist.

What is the harmonic minor scale?

The harmonic minor scale is the natural minor scale with a major 7th instead of the minor 7th. This new interval creates tension, and makes for an “exotic”, recognizable sound.

The scale is widely used in blues, rock, classical, and metal but can also appear in other genres, though less frequently.

Lastly, the most common harmonic minor scale is arguably the A harmonic minor scale.

Harmonic minor scale compared to the natural minor scale

Harmonic Minor	1	2	b3	4	5	b6	7
Minor	1	2	b3	4	5	b6	b7

Start by memorizing the intervals of the natural minor scale. After that, you’ll only need to remember to sharpen the 7th to turn it into the harmonic minor scale.

Harmonic minor scale interval names:

Root-2nd-Flat 3rd-4th-5th-Flat 6th-7th

Minor scale interval names:

Root-2nd-Flat 3rd-4th-5th-Flat 6th-Flat 7th

Now let’s look at the side-by-side diagrams for A harmonic minor and A natural minor.

Building the Harmonic minor scale

There are typically two ways you’ll construct and visualize a bass harmonic minor scale, and any other scale:

1. Using the harmonic minor scale formula
2. Using whole-steps and half-steps

The two go hand-in-hand. Once you’ve built the harmonic minor scale using its intervallic formula, you can break it down into a series of whole and half-steps.

Bass Harmonic minor scale formula and intervals

The harmonic minor scale has seven total scale degrees.

The harmonic minor scale formula is:

1-2-b3-4-5-b6-7

As you can see, there are 2 flattened intervals in the harmonic minor scale and the major 7th. These flattened intervals give it the traditional natural minor sound, and the major 7th turns it into the harmonic minor scale.

Whole-step and half-step construction of the minor scale

You can visualize the harmonic minor scale, and any other scale by breaking it down to its whole-step and half-step construction.

The whole-step and half-step formula for the harmonic minor scale is: W-H-W-W-H-W½-H

W= Whole | H= Half | W½= 3 Frets

The W½ interval shift is what gives the harmonic minor scale its distinct sound, and distinguishes it from the natural minor scale.

To construct the harmonic minor scale this way you’ll choose a root note, then follow the whole/half-steps from the root note!

You’ll want to do this with a single root note on all four strings to start. From there you can practice this formula using other notes.

One octave “a” harmonic minor bass shape

Here you’ll further analyze the one octave bass shape for the “A” harmonic minor scale.

Notes: A-B-C-D-E-F-G#

The A harmonic minor scale is especially easy to learn if you’re already familiar with the C major scale or A natural minor scale. This is due to the fact that all of the notes are natural, and when you convert to the harmonic minor scale the only “accidental” note is the G#/Ab.

Harmonic minor scale Bass fretboard diagram

Looking at this harmonic minor fretboard diagram with intervals will help you visualize the scale across the entire bass neck. Practice the scale on single strings, and play the scale in different octave positions.

A harmonic minor scale PDF

Practicing The Harmonic Minor Scale on Bass Guitar

Now that you’ve learned how to visual the harmonic minor scale and distinguish it from the natural minor scale, it’s time to practice.

YouTube backing tracks are always a great way to get a feel for a new scale.

Here’s a simple, elegant harmonic minor scale backing track in A minor.

Composing your own songs is another fun way to apply and practice the harmonic minor scale. Just remember to emphasize the notes/ intervals that make that showcase the harmonic minor scale! This would be the b3, b6, and major 7th.

Thanks for reading!