Harmonic Minor Scale Workout

Hey everyone! Here's the next episode of Scales & Tales with another scale-based workout, and this time we're hitting the ever-popular and exotic Harmonic Minor scale. We're giving this scale a similar treatment from yesterday's lesson, but this time we're in a different key, using a different melodic motif, and navigating the fretboard in a completely different way. So while the premise of this lesson may remind you of the previous installment in this series, once you begin with this episode you'll notice that things are radically different this time around.
The melodic motif in this lesson has a distinct classical influence/sound, which is typical when using this ear-catching scale tonality in music. You can find Harmonic Minor commonly appearing in classical, jazz, rock, hard rock, metal, and various other styles of music, so it's a familiar sound with a few technical challenges hiding along the way.
There are commonly wide intervallic stretches involved when performing this scale on the guitar, and while this lesson does encounter a few stretches as it unfolds, you'll notice that we're really just synchronizing the picking and fretting hands together using a useful melodic exercise, which is extended all over the fretboard.
Good luck with this episode and if you like where this series is heading, be sure to come back tomorrow, as another installment surrounding this overall concept will be created/posted, which will move things even further. In the meantime, give this episode a view, leave some comments/feedback, and please subscribe to Late Night Lessons - THANK YOU!
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[@voronOsphere]

"Scale Workout Weekend" Could be once a month! I love it! Thanks, David!

[@Boomsterblak]

Work..nobody said there would be work...lol...love this scale...your "Work" is second to none...thanks for all you do.

[@carlospellot2426]

Hey Brewster! Hope all is well! Thanks for these lessons. Fun warm-up!

[@stevenbuckley4433]

Thanks for the lesson David. Your content is always great.

[@redhex628]

This came out at the perfect time I just started working on harmonic minor trying to get out of my pentatonic type sound.

[@obiem9319]

I love that you're very consistent.

[@STAMPER-DESIGN]

Another great lesson! Not sure why the harmonic minor is so appealing to my ear but I just can't get enough of it. Thank you!

[@greg77hot]

Thanks for the lesson Dave ....I love the Harmonic Minor Scale !!!

[@danalaitinen961]

Thank you for the fretboard workout in harmonic minor! I much appreciate your approach to teaching this, especially the ring and pinky finger strengthening. The pinky is a wild child but essential to progressing on the guitar.

[@robertbernas1104]

Thanks so much as always David - cheerz 🤙

[@sixstringer3783]

Great stuff looking forward to the next one 👍🤘

[@suzannecoholic1467]

another ear-opening and finger-busting lessons - thanks Dave!

[@johnhart2861]

Haven't worked on this scale til now. Thanks David. Will watch the others you suggested and stick around for what you have planned

[@MikeJones-jr5hb]

That’s cool stuff! 😎👍

[@malan43]

I love the sound of this scale!

[@easter_sunday]

Wow. I just finished beating up your last lesson. I ended up fingerpicking it and resolving it into an octave for a riff. Keep cranking out the badassery Sensei Dave !

[@easter_sunday]

PS this one definitely feels better with a pick! Both are good in that they invite a nice place to park on 2 strings while constructing a riff or solo.

[@oceancrosby4578]

You know for veteran guitar players the benefits of these two exercise, "the blues and harmonic minor", are probably obvious, but for beginners like me, they are invaluable/amazing/a godsend. Thanks for the music.

[@blackrainbowfiresword177]

Thanks, David, this is a great practice tool😅

[@sergiuterteci9241]

Great.... Don,t forget David, new dificult musical phrases from Awaken, Paralels etc by YES. Many thanks!

[@aylbdrmadison1051]

Yes please! See what I did there? 🤣😂🤣😂🙂🙄 heheh .. I'll show myself out. 😊

[@simonvanderheijden432]

@@aylbdrmadison1051 😂😂😂

[@davess237]

Really appreciate these great exercises. Thanks.

[@dougstubbs4351]

Between March madness and your channel the past 2 weekends have been great thanks man. This and the blues workout and the Nuno Bettencourt video extremely helpful and entertaining. Peace man thanks 🙏

[@awguitarroom8033]

My favorite scale next to the natural minor. Great stuff David

[@SaintFredrocks]

OOOOOOOh! My favorite scale. Thanks man.

[@AdamGotheridge]

Another great lesson and idea.

[@scottkidwellmusic9175]

Thank you, David 🙏🏻 Looks like I'll have some homework over the next few weeks... Be good to you 🤍💛

[@babylemonade2868]

Reminds me of the start of the Opeth song folklore. An amazing song and I’m sure Dave knows it. Cool lesson as usual

[@wulfenii64]

More of this!

[@garethsmart6480]

This lesson kicked my ass into getting it done 👏🏼

[@aylbdrmadison1051]

I like to also take them through the entire key by just moving each note up or down one scale degree. Or I did while I could still play. A few months ago my hands were injured and I didn't know if I would ever play again. Once in awhile I would try to play but could barely play a couple of notes (very badly). A few days ago though I actually played almost two octaves of a scale (very badly), so maybe I will be able to play again, maybe better than "badly."

[@mdub1762]

well done sir.

[@Busyfingers24]

This is great stuff! Looking forward for tomorrow’s surprise…my fingers aren’t but I am🤣 Best Damn Channel Out There🤘

[@kurtschrotenboermixjams9439]

I have one that is similar that gets you to use your pinky but also allows you to do it in 3/4 or 4/4.

[@dkpitt3912]

Hey David, these last two workouts of been great! Just a suggestion, but if you did it for all the modes of the major scale and some other scales, this would be an amazing lesson set!

[@jerryleokirkman9460]

Cool, makes me think of David Chastain

[@sergedenovo2389]

Man, you make it look so flawless, bro. :( I CANT remember shit nowadays, Dave! Maybe I should stop hitting the bottle. My hands are literally numb, man! Do you drink, Dave? Do you notice a difference? …Fukin demon alcohol, bro… Sucks. It’s like shit got swept out of my head and I don’t know where the pieces went. As always: All the best from Serge in Chicago. Later. Edit: great video per usual. Be well.

[@yousse132]

Thanks for the lesson. What guitar amplifier do you use?

[@NoLegalPlunder]

When I practice the 4th variation I want to slip into playing Blue Morning.

[@TheRealSandleford]

Or you can think of it as a sharp 5 of the major and then also try just flattening the 3rd of the major as well, on a different occasion when you have plenty of time, of course. Interesting how it sure makes a difference for the whole major scale

[@polygraphovich]

See Steve Hackett on Firth of Fifth. Edit: love your motif!

[@tallpaul1020]

Hey David, absolutely love le lessons. If you could for us human players😅 Could you please show the scale or motif then move it around. You're the best on the web but some of us ( me) can't follow the pattern. No hurry I'll always be there 🤘🎸👍

[@aylbdrmadison1051]

I'm not sure because he did show the exact notes of the scale, but do you mean you don't know all of the notes on the fretboard? Nothing to feel bad about. First of all, Dave has lessons on all of this, and you will learn far more details that way. But here follows a shortened version of music theory 101 on guitar.. I was able to teach them to anyone who was willing, but it's amazing how many of my friends (smart people) had convinced themselves it was too much work or they didn't need to learn them because "Jimi Hendrix didn't read music." But learning the notes is not the same as reading music, and Jimi did know at least basic music theory and definitely knew the notes of the fretboard. So.. Here is how I've taught it since I was still a kid in the late 70's. This may seem like a lot to learn, but keep reading at least to see what you will have learned at the end (all you need, really)The best part is now it's super easy because I don't even have to write out the locations of everything. Just search for images of the *_C Major scale Graph*._** and choose one that shows all 7 scale positions on a graph that looks like the guitar fretboard, and also shows the names of *all* of the notes on the corresponding fret and string. There should be at least a few choices that have all of those things in one image. C Major is also the same key (enharmonic they call it) as A minor. They are both the exact same notes. So you probably know the A minor pentatonic scale, so that will help you get your bearings if you learn that same position of the C Major scale on the fifth fret first, because it just adds 2 notes to the pentatonic that you may already know. Then learn the shapes of the other six positions. Once you have learned all seven positions/shapes (they repeat after the 12th fret), then you know the key of C Major and A minor everywhere. But here's a massive bonus.. Try playing the 7th fret position shape of that key, If you have a B note on the bass, then you're playing the B phrygian mode. You can learn the names of the other modes at you leisure. All seven of those positions are also all seven of the modes, and once you figure out you can move them anywhere you want (remember, we're still talking about the same seven shapes, nothing new other than moving the shape to a different fret) you now know all 12 keys, *and* all seven modes in all 12 keys. Then just learn how to place the numbers that correspond to the notes.. A, B, C, D, E, F, and G = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. That's how we number "intervals" (the distance between 2 notes). That was in A minor. Here is the same thing, but in C Major. C, D, E, F, G, A, and B = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. Same thing, but the pattern you learned starting on the 8th fret. Once you have that, that's basic music theory. One last, but super important thing though, just knowing the shapes will only get you so far, but you're already over the hump and this part is easy. Just start saying the names of the notes as you play them until you can spot them out and name them. And yes, it will take time, but each part you learn is going to open up another door, and say it takes you an entire month to learn one position (most people can in a week), at the most you learned the entire fretboard in half a year, and are well on your way to understanding basic music theory. And, you take however long you like. Using some of what you learn along the way to write songs, develop a soloing style, find out how much easier it is to learn how others play, etc etc. Many doors, and doors within doors open up in front of you, and don't worry, feel is another animal, you can be good at that no matter how much you learn, But knowing, let's see.. that's 12 keys, with 7 modes each, so that's a total of 84 different scales. And the more sounds you can play, the more feelings you can emote with them. Ofc you can still use any dynamics, vibrato, and any other technique in any combinations you choose. So.. hop to it! Why am I still chattering on and on? 🙃 j/k

[@Stringprodigy]

uh that’s exactly what he does in this video. it’s not that difficult

[@dethstormpx4]

👋🤟🤘

[@stevet.4974]

Im so ashamed I had to go to .50 to get it under my fingers,

[@allentaylor3325]

Cool, but tabs would've been very helpful.

[@greenfish4u]

Nice that you can play so fast. Good for you. Too fast for me and lost it quickly. Irritating. And disregarding that we're not all magicians on the scales yet ... 👹

[@Fuzzybunny-ki1cw]

no tab, no time.