How the 5 harmonic minor positions cover the neck
Five regions of five frets:
every note of the harmonic minor scale under one hand position.
The guitar neck holds the harmonic minor scale in many places. This site splits it into five fixed regions: frets 0 to 4, 3 to 7, 5 to 9, 7 to 11 and 9 to 13. Inside each region every note of the harmonic minor scale appears once, from the lowest to the highest, so one region is one complete position.
The regions overlap, so their edges are shared, and above fret 12 the pattern repeats. The diagram shows the whole neck with the five regions marked and the roots of A in burgundy.
Harmonic minor positions in A, one by one
Each region of the harmonic minor scale with its diagram,
from the open strings to fret 13.
Position 1: harmonic minor in open position (frets 0 to 4)
The open position uses the open E, A, D, B and high E strings. G# sits on the 1st fret of the 3rd string and the 4th fret of the 6th and 1st strings, so the little finger plays the leading tone at the edge of the region.
Position 2: harmonic minor at frets 3 to 7
In region 2 the root sits at fret 5 of the 6th string and fret 7 of the 4th string. The augmented second F to G# falls between strings here, so the hand stays in place while the line crosses.
Position 3: harmonic minor at frets 5 to 9
The main position for A harmonic minor: the root under the index finger at fret 5 of the 6th string and again at fret 7 of the 4th string. Most neoclassical licks in A start here, and the chord player opens on this region.
Position 4: harmonic minor at frets 7 to 11
Region 4 has the root at fret 7 of the 4th string and fret 10 of the 2nd string. G# falls at fret 9 of the 2nd string, right under the root on the same string, which makes leading-tone phrases easy.
Position 5: harmonic minor at frets 9 to 13
The highest region reaches the root at fret 12 of the 5th string and fret 10 of the 2nd string. Above it the open position repeats an octave higher, from fret 12.
How to connect the harmonic minor positions
Slide on one string between neighbouring regions,
and the whole neck becomes one scale.
Play a region up to its top note on one string, then slide that finger up to the next scale note on the same string: you are now in the next region. On the way down, slide back. The exercises page has one drill for each pair of neighbouring regions.
Another way is to learn what two regions share. Regions 2 and 3, for example, overlap at frets 5 to 7, so the notes there belong to both shapes and you can switch fingering in the middle of a phrase.
Which harmonic minor position to use in each key
Every key of the harmonic minor scale starts in the region whose first fret
sits at or below its root on the 6th string.
The table gives the start region for every key. In A the root is at fret 5 of the 6th string, so the scale starts in region 3; in E it starts in region 1, the open position. Each key links to its own block at the end of the page, with all five regions in that key.
| Key | Start in | Root on the 6th string | Root on the 5th string |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | Region 4 (frets 7 to 11) | fret 8 | fret 3 |
| C# | Region 5 (frets 9 to 13) | fret 9 | fret 4 |
| D | Region 5 (frets 9 to 13) | fret 10 | fret 5 |
| Eb | Region 5 (frets 9 to 13) | fret 11 | fret 6 |
| E | Region 1 (frets 0 to 4) | open | fret 7 |
| F | Region 1 (frets 0 to 4) | fret 1 | fret 8 |
| F# | Region 1 (frets 0 to 4) | fret 2 | fret 9 |
| G | Region 2 (frets 3 to 7) | fret 3 | fret 10 |
| Ab | Region 2 (frets 3 to 7) | fret 4 | fret 11 |
| A | Region 3 (frets 5 to 9) | fret 5 | open |
| Bb | Region 3 (frets 5 to 9) | fret 6 | fret 1 |
| B | Region 4 (frets 7 to 11) | fret 7 | fret 2 |
Start every new key in its start region, then add the regions above and below it. After a few keys the five shapes become familiar, because they are the same shapes moved along the neck.
Harmonic minor positions on guitar in all 12 keys
For every key of the harmonic minor scale: its notes, the region to start in and the five regions on the neck, each pitch once, the roots in burgundy.
C harmonic minor positions on guitar
C harmonic minor is C D Eb F G Ab B. Start the harmonic minor scale in region 4, where the root sits on the 6th string at fret 8; on the 5th string the root is at fret 3.
C scaleC positionsC chordsC arpeggiosC progressions
C# harmonic minor positions on guitar
C# harmonic minor is C# D# E F# G# A B#. Start the harmonic minor scale in region 5, where the root sits on the 6th string at fret 9; on the 5th string the root is at fret 4.
C# scaleC# positionsC# chordsC# arpeggiosC# progressions
D harmonic minor positions on guitar
D harmonic minor is D E F G A Bb C#. Start the harmonic minor scale in region 5, where the root sits on the 6th string at fret 10; on the 5th string the root is at fret 5.
D scaleD positionsD chordsD arpeggiosD progressions
Eb harmonic minor positions on guitar
Eb harmonic minor is Eb F Gb Ab Bb Cb D. Start the harmonic minor scale in region 5, where the root sits on the 6th string at fret 11; on the 5th string the root is at fret 6.
Eb scaleEb positionsEb chordsEb arpeggiosEb progressions
E harmonic minor positions on guitar
E harmonic minor is E F# G A B C D#. Start the harmonic minor scale in region 1, where the root sits on the 6th string open; on the 5th string the root is at fret 7.
E scaleE positionsE chordsE arpeggiosE progressions
F harmonic minor positions on guitar
F harmonic minor is F G Ab Bb C Db E. Start the harmonic minor scale in region 1, where the root sits on the 6th string at fret 1; on the 5th string the root is at fret 8.
F scaleF positionsF chordsF arpeggiosF progressions
F# harmonic minor positions on guitar
F# harmonic minor is F# G# A B C# D E#. Start the harmonic minor scale in region 1, where the root sits on the 6th string at fret 2; on the 5th string the root is at fret 9.
F# scaleF# positionsF# chordsF# arpeggiosF# progressions
G harmonic minor positions on guitar
G harmonic minor is G A Bb C D Eb F#. Start the harmonic minor scale in region 2, where the root sits on the 6th string at fret 3; on the 5th string the root is at fret 10.
G scaleG positionsG chordsG arpeggiosG progressions
Ab harmonic minor positions on guitar
Ab harmonic minor is Ab Bb Cb Db Eb Fb G. Start the harmonic minor scale in region 2, where the root sits on the 6th string at fret 4; on the 5th string the root is at fret 11.
Ab scaleAb positionsAb chordsAb arpeggiosAb progressions
A harmonic minor positions on guitar
A harmonic minor is A B C D E F G#. Start the harmonic minor scale in region 3, where the root sits on the 6th string at fret 5; on the 5th string the root is open.
A scaleA positionsA chordsA arpeggiosA progressions
Bb harmonic minor positions on guitar
Bb harmonic minor is Bb C Db Eb F Gb A. Start the harmonic minor scale in region 3, where the root sits on the 6th string at fret 6; on the 5th string the root is at fret 1.
Bb scaleBb positionsBb chordsBb arpeggiosBb progressions
B harmonic minor positions on guitar
B harmonic minor is B C# D E F# G A#. Start the harmonic minor scale in region 4, where the root sits on the 6th string at fret 7; on the 5th string the root is at fret 2.
B scaleB positionsB chordsB arpeggiosB progressions
Harmonic Minor Guitar Positions: frequently asked questions
Short answers to the questions guitarists ask most about the harmonic minor guitar positions.
How many positions does the harmonic minor scale have on guitar?
Five, one for each region of five frets: 0 to 4, 3 to 7, 5 to 9, 7 to 11 and 9 to 13. Together they cover the neck to fret 13, and the pattern repeats above it.
Which harmonic minor position should I learn first?
In A, region 3 (frets 5 to 9), with the root on the 6th string at fret 5. It is the most common position for A harmonic minor licks.
Why does one string carry four notes in some positions?
Because each region holds every scale note once in five frets, and the augmented second leaves a gap that sometimes puts four notes on one string.
Are neck regions the same as three-notes-per-string shapes?
No. Three notes per string gives seven shapes that move across the frets; the regions stay in five frets and match the chord player.
How do I connect the positions?
Shift on one string from the top of one region into the next, or play the notes the regions share, then slide.