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B Harmonic Minor Scale – Guitar

A natural minor scale with a raised 7th: the neoclassical, exotic sound of Malmsteen and Gypsy jazz. Here it is in B: the notes, the whole neck, all five boxes with TAB, and a backing track to practise over.

Notes in the B harmonic minor scale

Formula: 1 – 2 – b3 – 4 – 5 – b6 – 7. Use it to solo over songs in B minor, and over B blues and rock progressions.

B harmonic minor scale on the whole neck

EADGBe123456789101112131415EF#GA#C#DEF#GA#C#DEF#GA#DEF#GA#C#DEGA#C#DEF#GA#C#DEF#GA#C#DEF#GA#C#DEF#G
B Harmonic Minor Scale on the whole neck, frets 0-15. Gold = the root (B).
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The 5 boxes (positions) with TAB

Each box is one hand position. Learn Box 1 first: play it up with the TAB, then back down, then move to the next box – together they cover the whole neck.

Box 1 · frets 6–11

EADGBe67891011A#C#DEF#GA#C#C#DEF#F#GA#A#C#D
B Harmonic Minor Scale, box 1
e|----------------------------------------------------6--7--9--10-|
B|-------------------------------------------7--8--11-------------|
G|-------------------------------6--7--9--11----------------------|
D|----------------------8--9--11----------------------------------|
A|-------------7--9--10-------------------------------------------|
E|-6--7--9--10----------------------------------------------------|

Box 2 · frets 8–13

EADGBe8910111213C#DEF#GA#A#C#DEF#GGA#C#DE
B Harmonic Minor Scale, box 2
e|-------------------------------------------------9--10-12-|
B|----------------------------------------8--11-12----------|
G|-------------------------------9--11-12-------------------|
D|-------------------8--9--11-12----------------------------|
A|----------9--10-13----------------------------------------|
E|-9--10-12-------------------------------------------------|

Box 3 · frets 10–16

EADGBe10111213141516DEF#GGA#C#C#DEF#F#GA#A#C#DDEF#G
B Harmonic Minor Scale, box 3
e|-------------------------------------------------------------10-12-14-15-|
B|-------------------------------------------------11-12-14-15-------------|
G|-------------------------------------11-12-15-16-------------------------|
D|-------------------------11-12-14-16-------------------------------------|
A|-------------10-13-14-16-------------------------------------------------|
E|-10-12-14-15-------------------------------------------------------------|

Box 4 · frets 1–6

EADGBe123456EF#GA#A#C#DDEF#GGA#C#C#DEEF#GA#
B Harmonic Minor Scale, box 4
e|---------------------------------2-3-6-|
B|---------------------------2-3-5-------|
G|---------------------3-4-6-------------|
D|---------------2-4-5-------------------|
A|-------1-2-4-5-------------------------|
E|-2-3-6---------------------------------|

Box 5 · frets 3–8

EADGBe345678GA#C#DEF#GA#A#C#DDEF#GGA#
B Harmonic Minor Scale, box 5
e|-----------------------------------3-6-7-|
B|---------------------------3-5-7-8-------|
G|-------------------3-4-6-7---------------|
D|-------------4-5-8-----------------------|
A|-------4-5-7-----------------------------|
E|-3-6-7-----------------------------------|

B minor backing track

Play the boxes over this, starting and ending phrases on the gold root notes.

Slow As Hell B Minor Blues Backing Track | SRV Style Guitar Jam (43.33 BPM) – Now YOU Shred Backing Tracks

Songs in B minor

These songs are in B minor, so this is a scale that fits for soloing over them:

All songs in B minor →

Other scales in B

Harmonic Minor Scale in other keys

Put it to use: solo with it, step by step, starting with three notes.

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FAQ

What notes are in the B harmonic minor scale?

B, C#, D, E, F#, G, A#. The formula is 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7.

Where do I start playing the B harmonic minor scale on guitar?

Start with Box 1, frets 6–11. The root note B is on the low E string at fret 7.