Lesson - 56 : Chords of a Harmonic Minor Scale

In the previous lesson we saw the formation of chords/triads on various notes of a typical Major Scale.

Applying the same method, let us tabulate the triads that can be formed on a Harmonic Minor Scale.

In our case we will talk about the A-Harmonic Minor scale as our reference.

The notes forming the scale of A-Harmonic Minor are A-B-C-D-E-F-G# - A

(remember the leading note is sharpened in harmonic Minor).

The table of triads formation for A-Harmonic Minor scale will be as follows :




So, we can generalize from this table that, in a Harmonic Minor scale,

· the triads on Tonic and Sub-Dominant are Minor Chords,

· the triads on Dominant and Sub-Mediant are Major Chords,

· triads on Supertonic and Leading note are Diminished Chords

· and finally the triad on the Mediant is Augmented Chord.

Totally, we have 2 Minor chords, 2 Major chords, 2 Diminished chords and 1 Augmented chord in a Harmonic Minor scale.

The above is applicable to any Harmonic Minor scales formed on Sharps or Flats also.