← Scales

What Makes a Scale “Harmonic”?

Four scales carry the word “harmonic” in their name. Each has at least one interval of 3 semitones between neighboring degrees (also known as an augmented 2nd or a minor 3rd), colored yellow on the wheel. That interval doesn’t appear in any of the Greek modes.

Harmonic Minor and Harmonic Major

Both scales contain an augmented 2nd interval between ♭6 and 7 - labeled 1½ on the ribbon below.

CDE♭FGA♭B
1
2
♭3
4
5
♭6
7
8
C Harmonic Minor: the ♭6 and 7, an augmented 2nd apart.Hear C Harmonic Minor in the app
CDEFGA♭B
1
2
3
4
5
♭6
7
8
C Harmonic Major: the same ♭6 and 7, an augmented 2nd apart.Hear C Harmonic Major in the app

Double Harmonic Major and Double Harmonic Minor (Hungarian Minor)

Both of the Double Harmonic scales carry two of these augmented 2nd intervals instead of one: the ♭6-to-7 gap, plus a second, identical interval elsewhere - between ♭2 and 3 in Double Harmonic Major, between ♭3 and ♯4 in Hungarian Minor.

CD♭EFGA♭B
1
♭2
3
4
5
♭6
7
8
C Double Harmonic Major: two augmented 2nd intervals, on opposite sides of the wheel.Hear C Double Harmonic Major in the app
CDE♭F♯GA♭B
1
2
♭3
♯4
5
♭6
7
8
C Hungarian Minor: the same two-interval shape, but starting from a different tonic.Hear C Hungarian Minor in the app

Comparisons

For a closer look at pairs of harmonic scales, see: