F Harmonic Minor Scale
The F harmonic minor scale contains F – G – Ab – Bb – C – Db – E. It is F natural minor with the 7th raised from Eb to E. It keeps the key signature of F minor (4 flats: Bb, Eb, Ab and Db), and the E is written as an accidental.
| Note | F | G | Ab | Bb | C | Db | E | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 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.
F harmonic minor scale fingering
Right hand, going up: the thumb tucks under to C. Left hand, going up: finger 3 crosses over the thumb to Db. Practise each hand alone, slowly, until the turns are smooth, then play hands together.
F harmonic minor vs F natural minor
| Degree | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural | F | G | Ab | Bb | C | Db | Eb |
| Harmonic | F | G | Ab | Bb | C | Db | E |
Only the 7th changes. E sits a half step below F, so it pulls up to the tonic, which Eb does not. It also leaves a gap of three semitones between Db and E, an augmented 2nd, and that gap is the sound people recognise in this scale.
What F 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, C (C E G), and that chord resolves firmly to Fm. It also gives the diminished Edim (E G Bb) 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 F | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| F | 1 | root | 0 |
| G | 2 | major 2nd | 2 |
| Ab | b3 | minor 3rd | 3 |
| Bb | 4 | perfect 4th | 5 |
| C | 5 | perfect 5th | 7 |
| Db | b6 | minor 6th | 8 |
| E | 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
F minor has 4 flats: Bb, Eb, Ab and Db, and harmonic minor uses the same key signature with one accidental, on the raised 7th: E. See the key of F minor for the rest of its chords.
Chords in F harmonic minor
Stacking thirds on each degree of the scale gives these triads.
| Degree | Numeral | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | i | Fm | F Ab C |
| 2 | ii° | Gdim | G Bb Db |
| 3 | III+ | Abaug | Ab C E |
| 4 | iv | Bbm | Bb Db F |
| 5 | V | C | C E G |
| 6 | VI | Db | Db F Ab |
| 7 | vii° | Edim | E G Bb |
More scales on F
Harmonic Minor scale in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the F harmonic minor scale?
The F harmonic minor scale contains F, G, Ab, Bb, C, Db, E, then returns to F an octave higher.
What is the difference between F harmonic minor and F natural minor?
Only the 7th note. F natural minor has Eb; F harmonic minor raises it to E, a half step below the tonic.
What key signature does F harmonic minor use?
The key signature of F minor: 4 flats: Bb, Eb, Ab and Db. The raised 7th, E, is written as an accidental.
What is the fingering for the F harmonic minor scale on piano?
Going up from F to F, the right hand plays 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 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.