G Harmonic Minor Scale on Piano

The G Harmonic Minor scale sounds tense and dramatic. It runs G – A – Bb – C – D – Eb – F# and is written with one sharp and two flats.

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

Interval Circle

WHWWHW+HHC4DbD5Ebb6EFF#7G1AbA2Bbb3B

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

3 black keys (Bb, Eb, F#) sit in this scale, and the thumb has to avoid them. In the right hand the thumb crosses under onto C; 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 G Harmonic Minor

NoteIntervalRH FingerLH Finger
GG4Root (1)15
AA4Major 2nd (2)24
BbBb4Minor 3rd (b3)33
CC5Perfect 4th (4)12
DD5Perfect 5th (5)21
EbEb5Minor 6th (b6)33
F#F#5Major 7th (7)42
GG5Octave (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# – B – C# – D# – E – F##
A Harmonic Minor
A – B – C – D – E – F – G#
Bb Harmonic Minor
Bb – C – Db – Eb – F – Gb – A
B Harmonic Minor
B – C# – D – E – F# – G – A#

Other G Scales

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