C Harmonic Minor

C Harmonic Minor scale for guitar.
The C Harmonic Minor is a seven-note scale. Colored circles mark the tones in the diagram, the darker ones highlighting the root notes. In the two-octave pattern, the first note in the scale is on the 6th string, 8th fret.

C Harmonic Minor 2 octaves

C Harmonic Minor scale diagram

C Harmonic Minor full fretboard

C Harmonic Minor scale whole guitar neck diagram

C Harmonic Minor with note names

C Harmonic Minor scale with note letters diagram

Shape 1 (7th position) with fingerings

C Harmonic Minor scale shape 1 diagram

Shape 2 (9th position) with fingerings

C Harmonic Minor scale shape 2 diagram

Shape 3 (12th position) with fingerings

C Harmonic Minor scale shape 3 diagram

Shape 4 (2nd position) with fingerings

C Harmonic Minor scale shape 4 diagram

Shape 5 (5th position) with fingerings

C Harmonic Minor scale shape 5 diagram
Notes: C - D - Eb - F - G - Ab - B Intervals: 2 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 1 - 3 - 1 Type: Septonic 

The scale displayed with its numeric formula, notes, intervals and scale degrees.

Formula Notes Intervals Degrees
1 C Unison Tonic
2 D Major second Supertonic
b3 Eb Minor third Mediant
4 F Perfect fourth Subdominant
5 G Perfect fifth Dominant
b6 Ab Minor sixth Submediant
7 B Major seventhSubtonic

The interval formula (2 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 1 - 3 - 1) can be expound into specific notes of the scale.

Notes (ascending) Interval
C-D M2
C-Eb m3
C-F P4
C-G P5
C-Ab m6
C-B M7
Notes (descending) Interval
C-B m2
C-Ab M3
C-G P4
C-F P5
C-Eb M6
C-D m7

Abbreviations are used: M / m stands for major / minor and P stands for perfect.

The main chords that are related to this scale are the following:

Cm X35543 CmM7 X35443
Ddim X5676X Dm7b5 X5656X
Ebaug X6544X EbM7#5 X6X787
Fm 133111 Fm7 131111
G 320003 G7 320001
Ab 466544 Abmaj7 465544
Bdim X2343X Bdim7 XX0101

The tones in these chords correspond to the tones of the C Harmonic Minor scale in which Cm is the tonic triad and CmM7 the tonic 7th chord.
The second and fourth columns include short notations for the chords in the first and third columns respectively. These are based on common ways to play the chord, but there are other alternatives. See more about this notation system on the FAQ page.

The C Harmonic Minor scale consists of seven notes. These can be described as intervals, as semi-notes or steps on the guitar fingerboard from the first note to the next octave. Written as semi-notes: 2 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 1 - 3 - 1. Written as steps: whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole and a half, half.
The C Harmonic Minor is one of three C Minor scales, the other two are C Natural Minor and C Melodic Minor.

This minor scale has an exotic sound caused by the whole and a half distance between the sixth and seventh degrees.
This large jump is the main feature to focus on in addition to the parallels with the other two minor scales.

Start the audio and play along! Use notes from the scale in the diagram above.

Normal tempo:
Slow tempo:

C Harmonic Minor scale first shape ascending.

C Harmonic Minor scale tab

The numbers above the tablature are suggested fingerings.