The Harmonic minor Scale,Application in Pop Music

Variations in Minor Melody and Harmony with Raising 7th Degree


our original discussion of harmony in minor keys explained the purely diatonic relationships between minor scales and chord progressions.However, this basic theory does not fully explain the reality of how minor scales and harmonies are applied in practice.There are several important and common variations that occur within the minor diatonic system, and this WIKI will explain them as we continue to close the gap between theory and reality.

The Leading Tone and V7 Chord
One of the things you might notice when you listen closely to the harmony of a typical "real world" minor-key tune is that the v chord is more than likely a Major triad or Dominant seventh chord, rather than being a minor triad or minor seventh chord as the natural minor scale harmony would lead you to expect.The reason for this apparent inconisistency is due to the different melodic structures of major and minor scales and the effect that they have on listeners.To learn why this is, we'll begin by reviewing the structure of the natural minor scale.

In a harmonized natural minor scale, the qualities of the i, iv, and v triads are all minor.This consistency in the qualities of the three main chords is part of what gives the minor key its characteristic color, just as the major quality of the I , IV, V triads in the harmonized major scale form an essential part of that sound.

From a traditional composer's view, however, the natural minor scale contains a basic flaw that is reflected in both its diatonic melodies and harmonies.The problem is that the whole step between the seventh and eighth degrees of the minor scale fails to lead the melody into the tonic with the same degree of pull that is created by the half step in that same position within the major scale.The gravitational force of the half step is a large factor in establishing the strong sense of tonality in a major key, and by comparison the natural minor scale sounds less conclusive.The solution devised by composers centuries ago was to duplicate that gravitational force in minor keys by altering the minor scale, raising the seventh degree a half step and thereby closing the gap with the tonic. Based on its tendency to lead the melody to resolution, the name given to the raised seventh in both major and minor keys is the leading tone.



Harmonizing The Harmonic minor scale in Triads


The alternation of the scale to create a leading tone has an effect on the quality of the III, v and VII triads as well, changing the III triad from Major to Augmented triad(from Consonant triad to Dissonant triad), changing the v triad from minor to Major and changing the '''VII triad from Major to diminished triad(from consonant to dissonant triad). In major keys, the strength of the V-I''' chord progression comes largely from the pull of the leading tone(which is the major third degree of the V triad) to the root of the I chord. With the creation of a leading tone in the minor scale, the same strength exists in the V-i progression in minor keys.

Add the seventh chord degree to the V major triad, and see what chord quality results.The addition of the seventh to the triad creates a Dominant Seventh chord, resulting in a V7-i resolution, which again is stronger than the diatonic v7-i resolution. Because of the effect on the scale harmony that results from raising the seventh degree of the minor scale. this altered scale is called Harmonic minor.

Harmonizing The Harmonic minor scale in Sevenths
Created Chords 1) The Minor/Major seventh chord

2) The Half-diminished Seventh Chord

3) The Augmented/Major Seventh Chord

4) The Minor Seventh Chord

5) Dominant Seventh Chord

6) The Major Seventh Chord

7) The Diminished Seventh Chord

the alternation of the natural minor scale to include a leading tone also has the effect of increasing the sense of movement in minor-key chord progressions. Because of the relationship between the scale structure and the harmony, the minor scale that includes this alternation is called the harmonic minor scale. The harmonic minor scale does not have its own key signature. The raised seventh is treated as a variation to the normal natural minor key signature, and whenever the alternation occures in a melody, it is indicated by an accidental.

When we looked at the effect of the raised seventh on the diatonic harmony of the minor scale, we saw that it mainly creates a stronger feeling of resolution from the V to the i chord.The other chords in the natural minor scale harmony are mostly unchanged, with the excaption of the occasional viio7 or i(Maj7) chord.The result is that since the natural minor scale fits perfectly well over all of the diatonic chords except V7, it is still treated as the basic key center scale for improvisation, and the harmonic minor variation is used in the melody only together with the V7 chord in the harmony.Therefore, the harmonic minor scale may be seen as a temporary coloration of the natural minor sound rather than as an entirely different scale.

The chord progression below is bracketed to show a typical application of the harmonic minor scale when improvising over a minor-key chord progression.Notice that the A harmonic minor scale is applied only over the E7 chord; otherwise, the progression is diatonic to the A Natural minor scale.

Triad Progressions of i-iv-V-VI in Pop Songs


Progression #1: Am(i)-E(V)-Am(i)

Progression #1 with added seventh: Am(i)-E7(V7)-Am(i)

Progression #2: Am(i)-F(VI)-E(V)-Am(i)

Progression #2 with added sevenths: Am(i)-FMaj7(VI M7)-E7(V7)-Am(i)

Progression #3: Am(i)-Dm(iv)-E(V)-Am(i)

Progression #3 with added seventh: Am(i)-Dm7(iv7)-E7(V7)-Am(i)

Progression #4: Am(i)-F(VI)-Dm(iv)-E(V)-Am(i)

Progression #4 with added sevenths: Am(i)-FMaj7(VI M7)-Dm7(iv7)-E7(V7)-Am(i)

Progression #5: Am(i)-Dm(iv)-F(VI)-E(V)-Am(i)

Progression #5 with added sevenths: Am(i)-Dm7(iv7)-FMaj7(VI M7)-E7(V7)-Am(i)



Using the Half-diminished Seventh chord in Harmonic minor


Notice That for better using the III+ and i M7 Chords and other chords created in the Harmonic minor,you should combine the harmonic minor scale with other scales(Natural mino or Melodic minor scale).

Source: Harmony and Theory Book by Keith Wyatt and Carl Schroeder