How to Harmonize The Minor Scale

Now, we are going to harmonize the minor scale. Major scales and minor scales are harmonized the same way. We take the first note, the third note and the fifth note above each scale step and we create triads. If we do this in A minor, the first chord we get is an A minor triad.

The second chord we get is B diminished. If you are not familiar with this diminished triad, let me just show you this real quick. I have B on the second part of the A string. I am playing F on the third fret of the D string. I am playing B on the fourth fret of the G string, D on the third fret of the B string. That is a B diminished triad. That is the two chord of the second chord in the key of A minor.

The third chord is C major. Fourth chord is D minor. Fifth chord is E minor. Sixth chord is F major. Seventh chord is G major and then we are back to A minor. Let us review, the one chord or the first chord in A minor is an A minor chord. The two chord is B diminished, three cord is C major, four chord is D minor, five chord is E minor, six chord is F major, seven chord is G major, back to the first chord again, A minor.

So, what good does this do us? How can this help by knowing all of these chords? Well let us take one of the most classic rock progressions there is, the ending of Stairway to Heaven.

Those three chords are A minor, G and F. If we know the harmonized minor scale, we know that those three chords come from the key of A minor, therefore, we know that we can use the A minor scale to solo over these three chords and if we analyze that we can say that we are playing the one chord in A minor, to the seven chord, to the six chord. So, this is the one, seven, six chord progression in A minor.

Let us take another one. How about the song I was soloing over which is in C minor. The three chords, C minor, G minor and F minor, if you know the chords of the harmonized minor scale, now you know that that is a one chord to a five chord to a four chord in the key of C minor. I therefore know, that I can solo using the C minor scale over those three chords.

So, here is what we have to memorize from this chapter. The order of the chords of the harmonized minor scale is minor diminished, major, minor, minor, major, major. You need to know that like the back of your hand, minor diminished, major, minor, minor, major, major. If you know that, you are ready to move on.