A Harmonic Minor Scale on Piano

The A Harmonic Minor scale sounds tense and dramatic. It runs A – B – C – D – E – F – G# and is written with one sharp.

It shares its key signature with C major, its relative major.

Interval Circle

WHWWHW+HHCb3C#D4D#E5Fb6F#GG#7A1A#B2

All twelve semitones, root at the top. Filled dots are the notes of the scale, the outer numbers are their degrees, and W / H mark the whole and half steps between them.

About This Scale

Natural minor with the 7th raised back up, restoring the leading tone so dominant harmony works in a minor key. The augmented second it opens between the 6th and 7th degrees is the interval that gives the scale its distinctive edge.

Fingering

Right Hand (ascending)

1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5

Left Hand (ascending)

5-4-3-2-1-3-2-1

Why this fingering

One black key (G#) sits in this scale, and the thumb has to avoid it. In the right hand the thumb crosses under onto D; let the elbow drift slightly outward as it passes rather than twisting the wrist.

The blue dots on the piano below show which keys to press — they turn green when you play the right note.

Notes in A Harmonic Minor

NoteIntervalRH FingerLH Finger
AA4Root (1)15
BB4Major 2nd (2)24
CC5Minor 3rd (b3)33
DD5Perfect 4th (4)12
EE5Perfect 5th (5)21
FF5Minor 6th (b6)33
G#G#5Major 7th (7)42
AA5Octave (8)51

Other Harmonic Minor Scales

C Harmonic Minor
C – D – Eb – F – G – Ab – B
C# Harmonic Minor
C# – D# – E – F# – G# – A – B#
D Harmonic Minor
D – E – F – G – A – Bb – C#
Eb Harmonic Minor
Eb – F – Gb – Ab – Bb – Cb – D
E Harmonic Minor
E – F# – G – A – B – C – D#
F Harmonic Minor
F – G – Ab – Bb – C – Db – E
F# Harmonic Minor
F# – G# – A – B – C# – D – E#
G Harmonic Minor
G – A – Bb – C – D – Eb – F#
G# Harmonic Minor
G# – A# – B – C# – D# – E – F##
Bb Harmonic Minor
Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – Gb – A
B Harmonic Minor
B – C# – D – E – F# – G – A#

Other A Scales

A Major
A – B – C# – D – E – F# – G#
A Natural Minor
A – B – C – D – E – F – G
A Melodic Minor
A – B – C – D – E – F# – G#
A Major Pentatonic
A – B – C# – E – F#
A Minor Pentatonic
A – C – D – E – G
A Blues
A – C – D – Eb – E – G
A Dorian
A – B – C – D – E – F# – G
A Mixolydian
A – B – C# – D – E – F# – G
A Chromatic
A – A# – B – C – C# – D – D# – E – F – F# – G – G#