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C 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 C: the notes, the whole neck, all five boxes with TAB, and a backing track to practise over.

Notes in the C harmonic minor scale

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

C harmonic minor scale on the whole neck

EADGBe123456789101112131415FGAbBDEbFGBDEbFGAbBDEbFGAbBDEbFGAbBDEbFGAbBDEbFGAbBDFGAbBDEbFG
C Harmonic Minor Scale on the whole neck, frets 0-15. Gold = the root (C).
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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 7–12

EADGBe789101112BDEbFGAbBDDEbFGGAbBBDEb
C Harmonic Minor Scale, box 1
e|----------------------------------------------------7--8--10-11-|
B|-------------------------------------------8--9--12-------------|
G|-------------------------------7--8--10-12----------------------|
D|----------------------9--10-12----------------------------------|
A|-------------8--10-11-------------------------------------------|
E|-7--8--10-11----------------------------------------------------|

Box 2 · frets 9–14

EADGBe91011121314DEbFGAbBBDEbFGAbAbBDEbF
C Harmonic Minor Scale, box 2
e|-------------------------------------------------10-11-13-|
B|----------------------------------------9--12-13----------|
G|-------------------------------10-12-13-------------------|
D|-------------------9--10-12-13----------------------------|
A|----------10-11-14----------------------------------------|
E|-10-11-13-------------------------------------------------|

Box 3 · frets 11–17

EADGBe11121314151617EbFGAbAbBDDEbFGGAbBBDEbEbFGAb
C Harmonic Minor Scale, box 3
e|-------------------------------------------------------------11-13-15-16-|
B|-------------------------------------------------12-13-15-16-------------|
G|-------------------------------------12-13-16-17-------------------------|
D|-------------------------12-13-15-17-------------------------------------|
A|-------------11-14-15-17-------------------------------------------------|
E|-11-13-15-16-------------------------------------------------------------|

Box 4 · frets 2–7

EADGBe234567GAbBBDEbFGAbBDDEbFGAbB
C Harmonic Minor Scale, box 4
e|---------------------------------3-4-7-|
B|---------------------------3-4-6-------|
G|---------------------4-5-7-------------|
D|---------------3-5-6-------------------|
A|-------2-3-5-6-------------------------|
E|-3-4-7---------------------------------|

Box 5 · frets 4–9

EADGBe456789AbBDEbFGAbBBDEbEbFGAbAbB
C Harmonic Minor Scale, box 5
e|-----------------------------------4-7-8-|
B|---------------------------4-6-8-9-------|
G|-------------------4-5-7-8---------------|
D|-------------5-6-9-----------------------|
A|-------5-6-8-----------------------------|
E|-4-7-8-----------------------------------|

C minor backing track

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

Sexy Slow Blues Backing Track in C Minor | Bonamassa Style Jam Track (44.666 BPM) – Now YOU Shred Backing Tracks

Songs in C minor

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

All songs in C minor →

Other scales in C

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 C harmonic minor scale?

C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, B. The formula is 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7.

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

Start with Box 1, frets 7–12. The root note C is on the low E string at fret 8.