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Bb Natural Minor vs Bb Harmonic Minor

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

Bb Natural Minor and Bb Harmonic Minor on one guitar fretboard, the shared notes and the differences marked13578910121415eBGDAEFGbAbABbCDbEbFGbCDbEbFGbAbABbCDbAbABbCDbEbFGbAbABbEbFGbAbABbCDbEbFABbCDbEbFGbAbABbCFGbAbABbCDbEbFGb

Tap any note on the neck.

Swipe the neck sideways to see the higher frets.

Bb harmonic minor is Bb natural minor with a raised 7th: Ab becomes A.

Bb natural minor vs Bb harmonic minor: what is different

They share six notes and differ in one:

Shared by both: Bb C Db Eb F Gb.

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

Bb Natural Minor
Bb   C   Db   Eb   F   Gb   Ab
Bb Harmonic Minor
Bb   C   Db   Eb   F   Gb   A
Shared notes
Bb   C   Db   Eb   F   Gb
Only in Natural Minor
Ab (b7)
Only in Harmonic Minor
A (7)
Compare these two on the interactive neck →

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

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