What is this scale?

[TBman]

Go to 2:40 in the video

[agfsteve]

Uh, I think that is the harmonic minor mode, with flatted third and sixth.

Someone with actual knowledge might correct me

[TBman]

Originally Posted by agfsteve

Uh, I think that is the harmonic minor mode, with flatted third and sixth.

Someone with actual knowledge might correct me

This weekend I'm going to see if I can put it into GuitarPro. It looks like a good warmup.

[srayb]

I’m pretty sure this video was posted before and I found it very interesting. I actually made notes from it with the intent of trying it for rehearsing. Haven’t gotten too far with that yet LOL. Here’s what I wrote down:

Practice/warmup (from Alexandra Whittingham):
- [ ] E Major (3 octaves) i, m
- [ ] E Harmonic Minor (3 octaves) i, m
- [ ] E Melodic Minor (3 octaves) i, m
- [ ] F Major (3 octaves) m, a
- [ ] F Harmonic Minor (3 octaves) m, a
- [ ] F Melodic Minor (3 octaves) m, a
- [ ] F# Major (3 octaves) i, a
- [ ] F# Harmonic Minor (3 octaves) i, a
- [ ] F# Melodic Minor (3 octaves) i, a
- [ ] G Major (3 octaves) i, m, a, m (end on a)
- [ ] G Harmonic Minor (3 octaves) i, m, a, m
- [ ] G Melodic Minor (3 octaves) i, m, a, m

Harmonic Minor Scale is minor scale with #7.

The Melodic Minor Scale, in traditional application, has a different formula when ascending and when descending. When ascending, the melodic minor’s formula is: 1 2 b3 4 5 6 7, and when descending, the melodic minor’s formula is the same as the natural minor’s formula: b7 b6 5 4 b3 2 1.

A melodic minor:
Ascending: 1 2 b3 4 5 6 7: A B C D E F# G#
Descending: b7 b6 5 4 b3 2 1: G F E D C B A.
A harmonic minor:
Ascending and Descending: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7: A B C D E F G#.
A natural minor:
Ascending and Descending: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7: A B C D E F G.

[Fraz]

She says just before she plays it ...

G harmonic minor



Learn more about it here: https://yourguitarbrain.com/harmonic...le-5-patterns/

[agfsteve]

Originally Posted by Fraz

She says just before she plays it ...

G harmonic minor



Learn more about it here: https://yourguitarbrain.com/harmonic...le-5-patterns/

There is one thing that I don't get about this scale, concerning the 7th degree: In G Harmonic Minor, the 7th degree is F#, but it looks like we need to write the scale using flats, not sharps, because we start with G, then A, then Bb, so when we get up to the 7th degree (F#), it conflicts with the other flats:

G A Bb C D Eb F#/Gb(?) G

So which actual notes should be written to show the above scale?

Also in the lesson from the link at Your Guitar Brain, it says "The flat 7th altered scale degree is highlighted in orange...", but the 7th is not flatted in this scale, so am I just not reading that right, or is it an error?

[TBman]

Originally Posted by Fraz

She says just before she plays it ...

G harmonic minor



Learn more about it here: https://yourguitarbrain.com/harmonic...le-5-patterns/

Thanks. Somehow though she ends up way up the neck.

[Gitfiddlemann]

Originally Posted by TBman

This weekend I'm going to see if I can put it into GuitarPro. It looks like a good warmup.

It is for her I'm sure, but she's not us.
I think scales are important for sure, but my advice would be to keep it light every day time wise. Pick a one or two octave scale, either minor or major, doesn't matter, or maybe an excerpt of a piece you're working on, and make it sound as good and coordinated as you can. That, imo, would be much more productive time spent.
She's a young, professional classical guitar stage performer with hours and hours of daily practice in front of her every day as she prepares for her next concert. She needs to work all her scales and finger permutations. We could too, but I can almost guarantee we wouldn't stick to it very long and move on to something else. (Just my honest opinion).

Originally Posted by agfsteve

There is one thing that I don't get about this scale, concerning the 7th degree: In G Harmonic Minor, the 7th degree is F#, but it looks like we need to write the scale using flats, not sharps, because we start with G, then A, then Bb, so when we get up to the 7th degree (F#), it conflicts with the other flats:

G A Bb C D Eb F#/Gb(?) G

So which actual notes should be written to show the above scale?

Also in the lesson from the link at Your Guitar Brain, it says "The flat 7th altered scale degree is highlighted in orange...", but the 7th is not flatted in this scale, so am I just not reading that right, or is it an error?

That diagram looks right for the scale, but if they referred to it as a flat 7th, it wouldn't be the correct term.
The harmonic minor scale is the same as the natural minor scale, except it has a raised 7th. That would be F#, (not Gb.)
So, it is as you have written it: G A Bb C D Eb F#
With 2 flats and a sharp.
(There's nothing that says you can't have both accidentals! It happens in a few spots in the minor scales.

[agfsteve]

Originally Posted by AndreF

That diagram looks right for the scale, but if they referred to it as a flat 7th, it wouldn't be the correct term.
The harmonic minor scale is the same as the natural minor scale, except it has a raised 7th. That would be F#, (not Gb.)
So, it is as you have written it: G A Bb C D Eb F#
With 2 flats and a sharp.
(There's nothing that says you can't have both accidentals! It happens in a few spots in the minor scales.

Wow, very cool, thanks for that explanation!

[smwink]

Originally Posted by TBman

Thanks. Somehow though she ends up way up the neck.

That's because the notes keep going up there ;-)

There are a number of patterns for 2 and 3 octave scales that move up and down the neck, with different flavors of shifting on different strings. Some people like the Segovia scales. I like the ones Chris Berg has in "Mastering Guitar Technique: Process and Essence." In the end, the goal is to go beyond memorizing patterns and to learn the notes up and down the fretboard. Then you can select whatever shift makes sense in the context of the music.

But for warmup or strict scale practice, I'd recommend the Berg book. Lots of useful technical exercises in there, not just scales.

[TBman]

Yes, this website helped me along with getting a book on Segovia scales. This was always sitting in the back of my mind unresolved. Finally,

https://www.guitarscale.org/g-harmonic-minor.html

I started doing many, many, MANY C major rest stroke scales so I'm anticipating getting bored and trying other ones up and down the neck.

I could never do a proper rest stroke and now is a good a time as any. I don't like not having full dexterity on the fretboard so I'm on my way to correct this.

[mr. beaumont]

Right, the trick to writing out scales is clarity-- so you want each letter of the musical alphabet represented only once.

This is a great video, by the way.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Right, the trick to writing out scales is clarity-- so you want each letter of the musical alphabet represented only once.

......

I'm not following you. Going 3 octaves up is going to cause a repeat of the notes.

[mr. beaumont]

I'm saying when spelling out a scale. You can certainly play more than one octave.

[thefsb]

I was stoked to answer harmonic minor when I played the vid from 2:40 full speed. Then I checked my answer by playing 0.5x.

If you can play major scale then

1) Play that but start and end on the 6th degree of the scale, i.e. the note 3 semi-tones down from the major root. That's the natural minor scale.

2) Now sharpen then 7th degree of that scale. That's harmonic minor.

That formula works for whatever fingering you use for your major scale.