Modes of the Harmonic Minor Scale

The Seven Modes Of The Harmonic Minor Scale

The modes of the harmonic minor scale unlock a world of exotic and sophisticated sounds for guitar players.

By starting the harmonic minor scale on different degrees, you get seven distinct modes, each with its own unique color and musical application.

What Are The Modes of the Harmonic Minor Scale?

Discover the rich and expressive sound of the harmonic minor scale through its seven unique modes.

Built by shifting the tonic across each degree of the harmonic minor scale, these modes offer a wide palette of colors ranging from dark and exotic to bright and tense.

The harmonic minor itself is defined by its distinctive interval structure (1, 2, ♭3, 4, 5, ♭6, 7), which creates a strong leading tone and a characteristic harmonic tension widely used in jazz, classical, and modern guitar styles .

In the following lessons, you’ll explore each mode of the harmonic minor scale, including the Locrian natural 6, Ionian #5, Dorian #4, Phrygian dominant, Lydian #2, and Super Locrian diminished.

Understanding these modes will help you expand your improvisation, target complex chord changes, and bring more advanced harmonic ideas into your guitar playing.

Whether you're aiming to enhance your jazz vocabulary or add exotic flavors to your solos, mastering the modes of the harmonic minor scale is an essential step forward.

Harmonic minor scale (minor).

The formula is 1- 2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - 7.

Locrian Natural 6 mode (half-diminished).

aka Locrian 13 or Locrian 6 .

Formula is 1 - b2 - b3 - 4 - b5 - 6 - b7.

Ionian #5 mode (augmented).

Formula is 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - #5 - 6 - 7.

Dorian #11 mode (minor)

or Dorian #4, Romanian minor

Formula is 1 - 2 - b3 - #4 - 5 - 6 - b7.

Phrygian dominant mode (dominant).

Formula is 1 - b2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - b7.

Lydian #2 mode (major).

Formula is 1 - #2 - 3 - #4 - 5 - 6 -7 .

Super Locrian bb7 (diminished).

Formula is 1 - b2 - b3 - b4 - b5 - b6 - bb7.

You can learn more about the seven modes of the harmonic scale by clicking on the links below.

Each page provides scale forms, formula charts, guitar tabs, and various exercises.

The Harmonic Minor Scale | Guitar Diagrams and Charts

This jazz guitar lesson explains how to play the harmonic minor scale on guitar and provides some guitar diagrams, scale charts and jazz guitar licks to master it.

The Locrian Natural 6 Mode - Guitar Diagrams and Theory

This guitar lesson show you how to build and play the Locrian natural 6 mode aka Locrian #6 mode, the second mode of the harmonic minor scale.

The Ionian #5 Mode aka Major Augmented Scale For Guitar. Diagrams, theory and charts.

This guitar lesson will help you understand the Ionian #5 mode aka major augmented scale using guitar neck diagrams and scale charts.

The Dorian #4 Mode aka Altered Dorian, Lydian Diminished - Guitar Diagrams and Theory

This guitar lesson with diagrams and scale charts explain how the Dorian #4 mode is built and how to play it on the guitar .

The Phrygian Dominant Scale (Phrygian Major, Mixolydian b2 b6, Harmonic Major Inverse) - Guitar Shapes and Formulas

This lesson with diagrams and charts show you how is built the Phrygian dominant mode aka Mixolydian b2 b6, and how to play it on the guitar.

Lydian #2 Mode (Aeolian Harmonic) - Guitar Lesson with Diagrams and Charts

This jazz guitar lesson provides neck diagrams and charts about the Lydian #2 scale aka Aeolian Harmonic, the sixth mode of the harmonic minor scale.

The Super Locrian bb7 Scale (Super Locrian Diminished, Diminished Locrian, Ultra Locrian) - Lesson with Guitar Diagrams

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25 Diminished Jazz Guitar Patterns | eBook PDF with Audio Files

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