Blog: Release Your Inner BB King with the Harmonic Minor Scale
- Thread starter Evan Skopp
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Myaccount876
Amira-Maker
Re: Blog: Release Your Inner BB King with the Harmonic Minor Scale
If you want to get really deep into the exotic, or mostly Middle Eastern, classical music look at:
- Maqam modes (Nahawand Hijaz IS the harmonic minor scale).
- Phrygian Dominant (a certain way of playing the harmonic minor, in the 1st position of the CAGED system)
- Locrian, Aeolian, Dorian (but in what are known as "non-guitar-friendly" keys such as Bb - or Ajam)
- Double Harmonic scales (Hijaz)
- Playing QUARTER TONES on the guitar. There are multiple methods, each with drawbacks. The most simple method is to practice practice practice so you can bend to a perfect quarter tone between notes.
Once you've mastered these techniques, the harmonic minor scale is the equivalent to playing an Am/C pentatonic - very basic and probably the first thing you learn when introduced to a certain area of music (In this case pentatonic = western, Harmonic Minor = Eastern).
Still very useful though and it would be interesting if more people in the West were creative using Eastern music. Also, you'd obviously want to listen to traditional eastern music to get the feel of accentuation. Mulids (traditional religious pieces) are a good start, or just listen to works such as this:
If you want to get really deep into the exotic, or mostly Middle Eastern, classical music look at:
- Maqam modes (Nahawand Hijaz IS the harmonic minor scale).
- Phrygian Dominant (a certain way of playing the harmonic minor, in the 1st position of the CAGED system)
- Locrian, Aeolian, Dorian (but in what are known as "non-guitar-friendly" keys such as Bb - or Ajam)
- Double Harmonic scales (Hijaz)
- Playing QUARTER TONES on the guitar. There are multiple methods, each with drawbacks. The most simple method is to practice practice practice so you can bend to a perfect quarter tone between notes.
Once you've mastered these techniques, the harmonic minor scale is the equivalent to playing an Am/C pentatonic - very basic and probably the first thing you learn when introduced to a certain area of music (In this case pentatonic = western, Harmonic Minor = Eastern).
Still very useful though and it would be interesting if more people in the West were creative using Eastern music. Also, you'd obviously want to listen to traditional eastern music to get the feel of accentuation. Mulids (traditional religious pieces) are a good start, or just listen to works such as this:
Last edited:
Evan Skopp
SDUGF Founder
Re: Blog: Release Your Inner BB King with the Harmonic Minor Scale
As an ear player, I liked knowing the official explanation for what I was doing when I played the flat-tonic over the V-chord. I knew there was a name for it. Now I know what it is.
As an ear player, I liked knowing the official explanation for what I was doing when I played the flat-tonic over the V-chord. I knew there was a name for it. Now I know what it is.
Myaccount876
Amira-Maker
Re: Blog: Release Your Inner BB King with the Harmonic Minor Scale
I don't feel like editing my previous post, but I forgot to mention Ajam is specific to Dorian, not the other modes, and Bb itself is not Ajam (unless it is Dorian). The main "non-guitar friendly" keys I'm specifically referring to are Bbm, Cm, Gm, and Fm.
Locrian, Phrygian, and Aeolian modes in themselves could be used here-and-there along with Maqams to add some variety. But the minor scale (Aeolian) itself for example will sound pretty normal unless mixed with something.
I don't feel like editing my previous post, but I forgot to mention Ajam is specific to Dorian, not the other modes, and Bb itself is not Ajam (unless it is Dorian). The main "non-guitar friendly" keys I'm specifically referring to are Bbm, Cm, Gm, and Fm.
Locrian, Phrygian, and Aeolian modes in themselves could be used here-and-there along with Maqams to add some variety. But the minor scale (Aeolian) itself for example will sound pretty normal unless mixed with something.
astrozombie
KatyPerryologist
Re: Blog: Release Your Inner BB King with the Harmonic Minor Scale
flat root over the 5?
I've probably played it!
I've played so many things over the years without really knowing what I'm doing.
flat root over the 5?
I've probably played it!
I've played so many things over the years without really knowing what I'm doing.
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