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A Natural Minor vs A Harmonic Minor

A harmonic minor is A natural minor with a raised 7th: G becomes G#. Both drawn on one guitar neck.

A Natural Minor and A Harmonic Minor on one guitar fretboard, the shared notes and the differences marked13578910121415eBGDAEEFGG#ABCDEFGBCDEFGG#ABCDGG#ABCDEFGG#ADEFGG#ABCDEFABCDEFGG#ABCEFGG#ABCDEFG

Tap any note on the neck.

Swipe the neck sideways to see the higher frets.

A harmonic minor is A natural minor with a raised 7th: G becomes G#.

A natural minor vs A harmonic minor: what is different

They share six notes and differ in one:

Shared by both: A B C D E F.

When to use which

Play both over the same chord and listen to the notes that differ. Whichever sounds right for the song is the answer; the names matter less than the ear. As a rule, the scale with the raised note sounds brighter or more tense, and the one with the lowered note sounds darker or more settled.

Hear the difference

A Natural Minor
A   B   C   D   E   F   G
A Harmonic Minor
A   B   C   D   E   F   G#
Shared notes
A   B   C   D   E   F
Only in Natural Minor
G (b7)
Only in Harmonic Minor
G# (7)
Compare these two on the interactive neck →

Free, no account needed. Change the key and both scales follow.

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