E harmonic minor scale
E harmonic minor scale is E – F♯ – G – A – B – C – D♯, with F♯ and D♯. Formula 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7. Press play and follow the keys.
E harmonic minor scale, note by note
Counted in steps it goes W H W W H W+H H (W = whole step, H = half step, W+H = a step and a half). The half steps fall between F♯–G, B–C and D♯–E. The wide step is C–D♯.
| Degree | Note | Interval from E | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | root | |
| 2 | F♯ | major second | |
| ♭3 | G | minor third | |
| 4 | A | perfect fourth | |
| 5 | B | perfect fifth | |
| ♭6 | C | minor sixth | |
| 7 | D♯ | major seventh |
The sound of E harmonic minor scale
Classical minor-key harmony leans on it: the D♯ makes the V chord major and the vii chord diminished, both pulling toward E.
The gap between C and D♯ is three half steps. Play just those two notes back and forth and you'll recognize the harmonic minor sound anywhere.
Compared with E natural minor scale, E harmonic minor scale has D♯ where the other has D; the other six notes are shared. Hear E natural minor scale and compare.
Where your hands go
Keyboard players: two black (F♯ and D♯), five white.
On guitar the root sits open on the low E string. The box above covers frets 0–5 and holds 18 notes of the scale across all six strings; play it low string to high.
Chords built on each note
Stack every other note of the scale on each degree and you get 7 chords. These are the chords that fit E harmonic minor scale; the ones that differ from the major set are what give the scale its color. Tap to hear each one.
Moving it around the guitar
Anchor points for E: low E string fret 0 and 12, A string fret 7 (0 = open string). Five overlapping fingerings cover the neck, starting near frets 2, 5, 7, 9 and 12 on the low E string. On guitar, the three-fret leap between the 6th and 7th notes is the stretch to practise on its own.
On the piano, E harmonic minor scale uses 2 black keys (F♯ and D♯) and 5 white.
Thirds make the scale sound musical instead of step-by-step: E–G, F♯–A, G–B, A–C, B–D♯, C–E, D♯–F♯.
Practice patterns for E harmonic minor scale
Running a scale straight up and down only teaches the order. These patterns use the same 7 notes and train your ear and fingers to jump around inside E harmonic minor scale.
- Up in threes: E F♯ G · F♯ G A · G A B · A B C · B C D♯ · C D♯ E.
- Target D♯: E D♯ E D♯ E: the raised 7th, a step and a half above the ♭6, gives the scale its exotic leap.
Try next, from E
Harmonic minor scale in every key
E harmonic minor scale: questions
What are the notes of the E harmonic minor scale?
E, F♯, G, A, B, C, D♯, E. As degrees: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7.
How many sharps or flats are in the E harmonic minor scale?
Two: F♯ and D♯.
What chords are in the E harmonic minor scale?
Stacking thirds on each note gives Em (i), F♯dim (ii°), Gaug (III+), Am (iv), B (V), C (VI) and D♯dim (vii°).
What's the difference between E harmonic minor scale and E natural minor scale?
D♯ in E harmonic minor; D in the other. Everything else is the same.
Every note on this page is computed from 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7 and tested. Updated September 2026.