Functional Resources of Scales

III. Harmonic Minor

by Glen Halls © All Rights Reserved

The Harmonic Minor. ( original is Aeolian)

1 2 -3 4 5 -6 (-7) 7

But we will start with the Lydian.

1 (2) +2 3 +4 5 6 7

I(7) #11 #9 13 very cool. Tonic. or Solved for. Quasi. C -(7)+11 C D# F# B (with 9) - really a solved +2 +4 Call it a Dominant Self Resolving or Dominant over Tonic suspension.

tc

Voiced in 4ths and quasi 4ths. GREAT.

A F# B D# A D G E A D G

C F# or E A D# G

C F# D# A D G C F#

#IIo7 , #II-(7)+11 no 5. weak or partial dominant to C major

#IImi(7)+11 no 5 -6 ( except the -6 really is a B, acts like a +5 ) Dominant to major. I would call this a 'quasi chord'

bc

4ths D# A D G C F# to E A G C F# resolving. Quite nice really

III-(7) 9 11 -13 ST or D. Unique dual Function. or B7 42/E alternate tonic

4ths. E A D# G C F# or C F# B E A D#

#IV-7-5 b911 13 ST ( elephant tonic) Actually this is #IV- 6 b6-5 partial or weak dominant . quasi F#o7 works well as mixed D over G pedal.

4ths: P4 from #IV. Note: This is actually like a II in 1st inversion. ( Herbie Hancock )

V(7)+5 9 with natural 5 above possibly. Pure Dominant

4ths: E A D# G C F# Note: This 4ths voicing could work for both I and V

Add V(7)sus +5 9 3 high. also works over I pedal.

Vi-7 –b5” 9 11 13 Substitute tonic in minor. -5 is Actually a +11. So this is actually a partial dominant

tc

VII7 -9 -10 11 -13 Dominant.

Mode II (Ionian ) of the Harmonic Minor Scale.

1 2 3 4(5) +5 6 7

I (7)+5 9 11 Major Tonic or a chord which leads to IV

II IImi7 9 +11 13. Unusual. It sounds like mi7-5. but this chord could really only lead to a deceptive tonic. vi

III7-9 not useful in C.

IV(7) +9 +11 13 . Kind of nice. SD, but with Mixed dominant leanings with the +9 above.

#Vo7 or #V-(7)-5. Mixed D to I D to deceptive vi.

tc

VI-(7) 9 11 Substitute tonic

tc

VII-7b5 11 13 Actually a nice mixed Dominant sound. Very nice in 4th from B

tc

Mode III ( mixolydian) of the Harmonic Minor ( doesnêt really exist as it would begin with the passing tone, and thus always have minor 9th problems )

Mode IV (Dorian) of the Harmonic Minor

1 2-3 (4)+4 5 6 -7 ( Call it a Dorian #4)

I-7 9 +11 13 11 Tonic minor

I-7 (b5) Actually +11 9 11 13. ( nice sound) T. minor Interesting: This has that PD/T suspension feeling. The major 7th F# to F is also very interesting, which I believe assists in motion to tonic. (See Joe henderson- an interesting chord to play on a mi7.

or in 4ths.

II7 b9 11 poor

bIII(7) +9 +11 13 Very Nice alternate tonic. in Minor.

bIII(7) /G Very nice PEDALED correcting chord Very nice in 4ths.

IV nix

#IV-(7)-5 11 b9 b13 weak or partial dominant . Very nice over V PEDAL also. Nice in 4ths from root.

. V-(7) b6 9 11 D to substitute minor? poor but.

V-(7) -13 9 11 15 high. ( i.e. a solved suspension ) is a possible dominant to minor, or possible correcting dominant to major. It sounds nice.

tc

. Vi-7 -5 -9 13. or Bb+/AË7. ST in minor. but very poor.

bVII(7)+5 with 9 11 and natural 5 above. Very nice chord. Strong – Modal” Dominant. especially to minor.

tc

Quasi 4ths.

Mode 5 ( Aeolian) of the Harmonic Minor. (the original)

1 2 -3 4 5 -6 (-7) 7

I-(7) -6 sus 9 11 5 high. Nice, interesting subdominant/tonic suspension.

II-7b5 -9 11 13 or -13 . The third of the 4 options. Subdominant to minor.

IIo7 Mixed D but with poor choice of partials.

II as 2nd INVERSION of bVI-(7)-5 Mixed dominant to minor.

bc

bIII (7)+5 Alternate tonic in minor.

or bIII(7)+5sus 9 possible 5 high. Interesting mixed dominant to Minor.

4ths Eb. OK. Nice subdominant/tonic suspension. 4th voicing of this sus chord. Eb Ab D G C F Bb

Ivmi7 9 . is S to minor. but much better is:

IV mi7 +11 ( solving for the 5) with the 9 and possibly 11 high. Mixed Dominant.

Very nice as 4ths:

V7sus b9b13 Subdominant to minor. Very nice chords.

bVI(7)/V pedal Sus. Subdominant to minor. bVI(7)+11/V pedal Sus. S to minor.

bVI-(7)/V MIXED DOMINANT. especially to minor. over the pedal. Nice with 9 high . Note, this is a 'quasi' chord- a chord which doesn't spell correctly but sounds enharmonically useful. Ab to B is really an augmented second, which sounds as a minor third.

4ths voicings

tc

bVI(7) +9 +11 13 Subdominant to minor. ( B0/Abmaj7)

tc

bVI(7)+11 (solving for 5) with +9 Subdominant to minor. Possibly mixed dominant to minor with the D-Eb resolution.

tc

bVI-(7) +11 9 high. Mixed Dominant to minor. ( quasi chord )

tc

4th voicings for bVI : Eb Ab D G C F is nice and Subdominant. or start with a tritone from Ab. For Dominant sound. try F B Eb Ab D G.

VIIo7 -9-11-13 B D F Ab C Eb G. the jobim Diminished 7th. Not the 8 notes Symmetrical diminished. This is a Mixed Dominant function.

4ths voicings: Ab the best. Ab D G C F Bb ( possibly fake B as Cb) or F B Eb Ab D G.

tc

Mode VI ( Phrygian) of the harmonic minor

1 -2 (-3)3 4 5 -6 -7 ( –Arabian Descending melodic” ? ? )

I 7 b10 b9 11 b13 D to F. blues tonic ( especially the quasi 4ths voicing from 3.)

Then comes a great group of Suspensions/pedals over tonic. ( duplicated at those degrees )

bVI(7)+5/I SSR 9 13 Note: bVI(7) with natural 5 is of course possible, but the +5 is unique to native to this scale.

bVI(7)sus/I SSR 9 and 3 high.

ii(7) +9+11 13 /I SSR Quite a nice sound really.

4ths. : Eb Ab Db A C F. Nice. Bb Eb Ab Db G C or Ab Db G C F Bb or G C F Bb Eb Ab. min9 to root, but its OK in this subdominant chord. Possible

or Bb E Ab Db G C , which is a great Bluesy voicing

tc

bII(7) #9#11 13. or C7/Db S . Great over I or V pedal.

bIII nil

III Interesting III o7 -10-13 blues T. or moving to IV or better III-(7)-5 -10 -13

IV-(7) 9 11 -7 or S to minor or both. very nice stuff.

IV-(7) b6 9 11 -7( sus by solving.) or

tc

bVI(7)+5 9 / V Pedal. Subdominant to minor. very nice.

V-7 b5 -9 11 -13 or 13 ( A pseudo Chord. ) Sudominant to minor.

bVI(7)+5 9 nat. 5 high or Eb/Ab+ for short Tonic or Minor Subdominant. very nice.

tc

bVI-7 9 11 13 very nice modal Subdominant to minor. also some nice 4ths voicings, as expected with a mi7 chord.

bVII-7. Minor Subdominant

bVII -7 +11 5 9 . Interesting sound.

Mode VII Locrian of the harmonic minor.

1 -2 -3 4 -5 (-6)6 -7

I nil of use

bII(7)+5 9 13 no 11 5 high. Great S to major Bring down 13 with +5 , clash , it sounds like 1st inversion Bb minor: Really nice sound.

tc

bII(7)+5 sus. 3 13 high or 9 3 13 sounds great. Nice chord of limited use. or S to minor.

tc

bIII-7 9 11 13 or bIII-7 sus 9 13 . No apparent use in C, but actually is a useful correction/pentatonic sound in modal playing. ( if not noted earlier.)

IV7 -9-10 -13 (11) S . Quite good and interesting with 5 solved for the -6 with 5 high. Subdominant to major

V-7 9 11 -13 / I to Imi7 not much help in C except as possible modal cadence above C drone.

There is that nice major 7th bite Bb to A natural that this scale provides, so it is of some value.

bVI69 only S. ( passing tone anyways)

VI nothing new or of use

bV(7) 9 +11 13 / bVII or in ist inversion if you will or:

bVII-7 9 11 with -13 solved for V high. Same thing. nice sounds, but donêt really require the A natural, which is unique here. Both Modal S to minor. Nice over V pedal.

tc

A couple of interesting 4ths: Db Gb C F Bb Eb Eb A Db Gb C F or cheat. Eb A Db Ab Db F. This last one is a kind of IV7 blues voicing.

No mode 8 of harmonic minor. ( from the A )

N Mode 9 ( from E) No mode 9.

Mode 10 ( from the B ) of the harmonic minor

1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 - -7 (-8 )

Io7 nix here. ( we'd probably think of these tones as a D#o7 in 3rd inversion. That's how it would resolve)

b II-(7) 9 11 -13 Very good Sub to minor. Quite nice over V pedal add bII-(7)sus -3 high.

bIII nix

bIV(7) 9 -11 and bIV(7)+5 9 -11 (or E+maj7) very nice S to minor and first appears here. The -11 is a bit odd, but I like it.

Also quite good over a I pedal as a subdominant suspension.

bV nix

bVI7 (-10) 13 minor S. Very nice over I or V Pedal. Actually a very pleasing sound

bVI-7 11 13 Subdominant to minor - Sort of. This is Actually a kind of ENHARMONIC context, where the Cb might be heard as a B, making it an effective mixed dominant.

bVI7 sus (-10) 13, bVI7sus 13 3 high, bVI7sus 13 possibly 3 and -9 high. All good over I and V pedals.

Some Interesting 4th voicings ( of the scale in general)