The harmonic minor scales on guitar are almost the same as the natural minor scales, but the only
difference is that the seventh is raised.
When you have a raised 7th, it is impossible to play the scale over the dominant 7
and m7 chords. The lowered third, on the other hand, takes away the possibilities for it to play over
major chords.
The chord you can play over harmonic minor scales on guitar is the minor chord. You can try and experiment
this scale over m7, and m6 and other minor chords.
It is fine when you hit some bad note as long as you learn from your mistakes. Then, you can play the
harmonic minor in different styles, including classical, metal, shred, and neo-classical.
Learning the fingering of basic harmonic minor scales can be quite tricky at first, particularly if
you are not familiar to simple shapes of the blues scale. But with great effort and practice, you can assure to be
able to play some harmonic scales on guitar.
The key is to use your pinky finger and to control the notes on the fourth string correctly. When
playing the notes on the fourth string, you have to start with your middle finger, followed by your ring finger,
and then stretch your pinky finger to play the last note of the string.
In learning harmonic minor scales on guitar, it is
important to know the different places to play on the same scale on the neck. If you want to play harmonic scales,
you’ll find lots of positions. You could start playing the scale on the 12th fret of the 6th string or any kind of
combinations for harmonic minor.
Having a sensitive ear is a plus for playing harmonic minor scales on guitar. You will find it very
rewarding to have a keen sense of hearing, especially when you are playing harmonic minor scales all over the
fretboard. At first, you might get confused but let your ear be your guide in finding the perfect
tone.
Guitar players might find harmonic minor scales difficult to understand, especially for complete beginners. But
with patience, determination, and practice, you will be able to get a hold of how harmonic minor scales are played
and used on guitar. Of course, the more you practice, the faster you get acquainted in dealing with harmonic
scales. But in contrary, you will have less progress in learning how to
play guitar when you don’t practice more often.