E harmonic minor scale on piano
E harmonic minor: natural minor with a raised seventh, which gives the minor key its leading note and an exotic step and a half.
| Notes | E – F♯ – G – A – B – C – D♯ – E |
|---|---|
| Steps | W – H – W – W – H – W+H – H (W = whole step, H = half step) |
How to play the E harmonic minor scale
Keep the thumb on white keys and pass it under after the longest group of fingers you can use; never put the thumb on a black key. Practise slowly, hands separately first. Start slowly with the metronome and keep every note even.
Chords in E harmonic minor
Build a chord on every note of the scale using only notes from the scale:
| Step | Triad | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| i | E minor | – |
| ii° | F♯ diminished | F♯m7♭5 |
| III+ | G augmented | – |
| iv | A minor | Am7 |
| V | B major | B7 |
| VI | C major | Cmaj7 |
| vii° | D♯ diminished | D♯dim7 |
Other E scales
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