E Harmonic Minor Scale
The E harmonic minor scale contains E – F# – G – A – B – C – D#. It is E natural minor with the 7th raised from D to D#. It keeps the key signature of E minor (1 sharp: F#), and the D# is written as an accidental.
| Note | E | F# | G | A | B | C | D# | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Left hand | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Piano fingering for one octave going up; 1 is the thumb. Coming down, play the same fingers in reverse.
E harmonic minor scale fingering
Right hand, going up: the thumb tucks under to A. Left hand, going up: finger 3 crosses over the thumb to C. Practise each hand alone, slowly, until the turns are smooth, then play hands together.
E harmonic minor vs E natural minor
| Degree | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural | E | F# | G | A | B | C | D |
| Harmonic | E | F# | G | A | B | C | D# |
Only the 7th changes. D# sits a half step below E, so it pulls up to the tonic, which D does not. It also leaves a gap of three semitones between C and D#, an augmented 2nd, and that gap is the sound people recognise in this scale.
What E harmonic minor is used for
Harmonic minor is what makes a minor key cadence. The raised 7th turns the chord on the 5th degree from minor into major, B (B D# F#), and that chord resolves firmly to Em. It also gives the diminished D#dim (D# F# A) on the 7th degree. Most minor-key classical harmony borrows these chords, even when the melody stays in natural minor.
Chords that change from natural minor
Notes and intervals
| Note | Degree | Interval from E | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| E | 1 | root | 0 |
| F# | 2 | major 2nd | 2 |
| G | b3 | minor 3rd | 3 |
| A | 4 | perfect 4th | 5 |
| B | 5 | perfect 5th | 7 |
| C | b6 | minor 6th | 8 |
| D# | 7 | major 7th | 11 |
Step pattern
The harmonic minor scale is built from the pattern W – H – W – W – H – W+H – H (W = whole step, H = half step, W+H = three semitones). Apply that pattern from any starting note and you get the same scale in a different key.
Key signature
E minor has 1 sharp: F#, and harmonic minor uses the same key signature with one accidental, on the raised 7th: D#. See the key of E minor for the rest of its chords.
Chords in E harmonic minor
Stacking thirds on each degree of the scale gives these triads.
| Degree | Numeral | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | i | Em | E G B |
| 2 | ii° | F#dim | F# A C |
| 3 | III+ | Gaug | G B D# |
| 4 | iv | Am | A C E |
| 5 | V | B | B D# F# |
| 6 | VI | C | C E G |
| 7 | vii° | D#dim | D# F# A |
More scales on E
Harmonic Minor scale in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the E harmonic minor scale?
The E harmonic minor scale contains E, F#, G, A, B, C, D#, then returns to E an octave higher.
What is the difference between E harmonic minor and E natural minor?
Only the 7th note. E natural minor has D; E harmonic minor raises it to D#, a half step below the tonic.
What key signature does E harmonic minor use?
The key signature of E minor: 1 sharp: F#. The raised 7th, D#, is written as an accidental.
What is the fingering for the E harmonic minor scale on piano?
Going up from E to E, the right hand plays 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 and the left hand plays 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1, where 1 is the thumb. Coming down, use the same fingers in reverse.
What is the step pattern of the harmonic minor scale?
It follows the pattern W – H – W – W – H – W+H – H, where W is a whole step (two semitones), H is a half step (one semitone) and W+H is three semitones.