Let's talk about the harmonic minor scale. Get whatever you can from this lesson and the next and move on. They will show up again in future lessons as needed. At this stage, I only want you to be acquainted with these scales. Take It EasyĪ quick note: I worry this lesson will overwhelm some of you. This special V chord in minor keys is thought of as coming from these other harmonic systems. Two other common harmonic systems are built on the harmonic minor scale and the melodic minor scale.īecause of the issue of V Chords in Minor Keys, it is necessary to give you a light introduction to these two scales and harmonic systems. As a result of these different structures, these scales create their own unique harmony different from the major scale. That is, the intervals-the spacing of the notes-are different from the major scale. These other scales are structurally different from the major scale. In addition to major scale harmony derived from major scales, there are other harmonic systems based on other scales.

So, scales (and modes) from the major scale, and the chords derived from them, are all considered major scale harmony. The harmony all comes from the same place.

Remember, the major scale has a relative minor scale and vice versa. It may seem confusing, but the harmony of the natural minor scale is considered a part of major scale harmony. A lot of harmony revolves around the major scale.

B-flat harmonic minor scale