The reason you can get two chords here is actually a bit tricky. There are two possible names for the VII chord of the melodic minor scale: B7 b9 #9 b5 #5 (known as B7alt) or Bm7b5 b9 (b4) b13 Once again we have the harmonization of each degree so that we can see all possible tensions and chord tones on any given chord. Our next minor scale does not share the same intervallic ratio as either the Major Scale or any of its modes. The next page lists all possible chords/tensions for this scale.Ĭ Natural Minor with each scale degree harmonized to include every possible tension on each given degree: Not surprisingly, you will find that C natural minor is a MODE of Eb major. Looking carefully at this scale, you will notice it is actually an inversion of an Eb major scale (meaning all chords/tensions that are found in this scale are also found in Eb major). Every scale can be transposed to any other key. Once again, I will use the note C as tonic for our scales. What will happen is that we will then have seven different chord types for each scale and all possible tensions that could theoretically be available over each degree of each scale.

We will continue with the tertian harmonization and apply it to natural minor, melodic minor, and finally harmonic minor scales. In doing so we ended up harmonizing every degree of that scale until we had every possible diatonic tension stacked on all of the seven degrees of said scale.įor this column the goal will be much the same. In the last column we talked about harmonizing the Major Scale in 3rds so that we could find all diatonic chords for that scale from each of its degrees. Lessons > Beyond Theory > Minor Scale Harmony

A harmonic minor scale formula