Harmonic major scale

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In

It can be considered a major scale with the sixth degree lowered, Ionian ♭6,^[2] or the harmonic minor scale with the third degree raised. The intervals between the notes of a harmonic major scale follow the sequence below:

whole, whole, half, whole, half, augmented second, half

The harmonic major scale may be used to construct the following chords, which also may be thought of as

.

V7♭9: G-B–D–F–A♭ viio7: B–D–F–A♭ iio: D–F–A♭ iiø7: D–F–A♭–C iv: F–A♭–C ♭VI+: A♭–C–E

The harmonic major scale has its own set of modes, distinct from the harmonic minor, melodic minor, and major modes, depending on which note serves as the tonic. Below are the mode names, their degrees, and the following seventh chords that can be built using each modal tonic or degree of the parent mode as the root: a major seventh chord, a half-diminished seventh chord, a minor seventh chord, a minor major seventh chord, a dominant seventh chord, an augmented major seventh chord, and a diminished seventh chord. Harmonic minor contains the same types of seventh chords, but in a different order.

Mode	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII
Name	Harmonic Major	Locrian ♮2 ♮6 / Dorian ♭5	Altered Dominant ♮5 / Phrygian ♭4	Melodic Minor ♯4 / Lydian ♭3	Mixolydian ♭2	Lydian Augmented ♯2	Locrian 7
Notes	1 2 3 4 5 ♭6 7	1 2 ♭3 4 ♭5 6 ♭7	1 ♭2 ♭3 ♭4 5 ♭6 ♭7	1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 6 7	1 ♭2 3 4 5 6 ♭7	1 ♯2 3 ♯4 ♯5 6 7	1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 7
Triads	C	Do or Dm♭5	Em	Fm	G	A♭+	Bo or Bm♭5
Seventh Chords	Cmaj7	Dø7	Em7	Fmmaj7	G7	A♭+maj7	Bo7

For example, a D-flat major scale consists of the

notes: D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C; whereas a D-flat harmonic major scale consists of the notes: D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B C. Notice the sixth note in the sequence is lowered, from B♭ to B. The C-sharp harmonic major scale can also be obtained from the C-sharp harmonic minor scale, which is C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A B♯, by raising the E to E♯. The C harmonic major scale may be derived from the F melodic minor scale with a raised fourth: F G A♭ B C D E.^[3]

The harmonic major scale may also be considered a synthetic scale, primarily used for implying and relating to various altered chords, with major and minor qualities in each tetrachord.^[4] Thus the musical effect of the harmonic major scale is a sound intermediate between harmonic minor and diatonic major, and partaking of both. The harmonic major scale may be used in any system of meantone tuning, such as 19 equal temperament or 31 equal temperament, as well as 12 equal temperament.

One interesting property of this scale is that for any diatonic scale, there is a

Like the familiar major, melodic minor, and harmonic minor scales, the harmonic major scale has the

The harmonic major scale is also one of the five proper seven-note scales of equal temperament. Like five of those other six scales, it is a complete circle of thirds; starting from the tonic the pattern is MmmmMMm, where M is a major third and m is a minor third.^{[citation needed]}

Harmonic major is not commonly taught as a tonality, so chords borrowed from this diatonic tonality are not recognized as readily as those from the tonalities of major, harmonic minor, and melodic minor.^{[citation needed]} Many popular songs have borrowed chords from the tonality of harmonic major but have not been recognized as doing so. Examples are 'After You've Gone', 'Blackbird', 'Sleep Walk', 'Dream A Little Dream Of Me'.^{[citation needed]}

References