G harmonic minor scale on piano
G harmonic minor has 7 notes: G A B♭ C D E♭ F♯. Degrees: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7. Formula: W H W W H W+H H.
What notes are in the G harmonic minor scale?
G, A, B♭, C, D, E♭ and F♯. It has 7 notes; its formula in whole and half steps is W H W W H W+H H.
What does G harmonic minor sound like, and when do you use it?
Dramatic and classical: the major 7th creates a strong leading tone. Use it over m(maj7) · and its V7♭9, which resolves to the minor chord.
Chords in G harmonic minor
| Degree | Triad | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| i | Gm | Gm(maj7) |
| ii° | A° | Am7♭5 |
| ♭III+ | B♭+ | B♭maj7♯5 |
| iv | Cm | Cm7 |
| V | D | D7 |
| ♭VI | E♭ | E♭maj7 |
| vii° | F♯° | F♯°7 |
Chord progressions to improvise with G harmonic minor
In Jam mode (the Jam button above) a band of grand piano, upright bass and drums (recorded instruments) plays these progressions as swing, bossa, groove or ballad, and the keyboard lights up the notes of each chord as it plays. It's a backing track made for this scale in G:
- Minor ii–V–i (iiø7–V7–i): Am7♭5 | D7 | Gm | Gm. The minor ii–V: the leading tone (F♯) of the V7 pulls toward the root.
- i–iv–V (i–iv–V7): Gm | Cm | D7 | Gm. The classical cadence: the major V7 is exactly what this scale asks for.
- Dramatic (i–♭VI–V7): Gm | E♭ | D7 | D7. i–♭VI–V: two bars of V7 so the F♯ rings against the E♭.
G harmonic minor on the keyboard
It uses 3 black keys: B♭, E♭ and F♯. On the interactive keyboard above you can hear it, show its degrees or intervals and practice its chords.
Same notes as
Harmonic minor in other keys
On other instruments
G harmonic minor on guitar · G harmonic minor on bass · All scales