Harmonic Minor Complete: Part I

Desc:

Just as the major scale is the basic “alphabet” used to construct chords and melodies for music in major keys, the harmonic minor scale is the “alphabet” used to build the harmonies of musical compositions in minor keys, which is how the scale gets its name.

Because there exist so many alternate scales and harmonies to express minor key sounds, the harmonic minor scale often gets glossed over quickly by aspiring jazz musicians. While the harmonic minor scale doesn’t correspond quite so simply with minor keys the way the major scale does with major keys, familiarity with harmonic minor is an important step in mastering comping and improvising in minor keys.

Additionally, the harmonic minor scale contains several “hidden” sounds that can provide fresh, new, and exciting possibilities for both comping and soloing.

Part one of Harmonic Minor Complete breaks down the theory and reveals how, why, when, and where to use the scale in its basic form. It also explores the use of the harmonic minor scale to create more esoteric textures and provides a clear explanation of the modes and various techniques to make learning and utilizing them easier.

Part two continues the exploration of ways to gain mastery over melodic and harmonic material for harmonic minor on guitar. This class also offers imaginative and exciting ideas for generating new musical sounds with the scale, both for comping/chordal playing and single-note soloing.

Harmonic Minor Complete part 1 covers:

• Explanation of the structure of the scale
• Discussion of the seven modes, with suggested uses, names, and typical chord voicings for each
• Exploration of harmonies to form the basic chords of most minor-key songs, using both triads and seventh chords
• Use of harmonic minor to define secondary dominant sounds resolving to diatonic minor chords
• Using various modes to create new and unusual tonal colors
• System for quickly remembering which mode to use for which sound
• Suggested scale fingerings, including 7-positions, CAGED, and symmetrical
• Exploring contrapuntal playing using different intervals within the scale
• Intervallic patterns for increasing fluency
• Exploration of diatonic triads in all inversions, all string sets
• Open triads
• Voice leading through diatonic cycles with both open and close triads
• Root position close seventh chords

Course Details

• 108 minutes in length
• Includes 23 pages of written examples and exercises
• Includes backing tracks for musical examples
• All musical examples from the video are provided in music notation and tablature
• Each example performance is shown in close-up view and titled and numbered for easy navigation