However, the fact remains that you can do so much more with one scale. Use chromatic embellishments to connect one chord tone to the next.įrom these two, you can already generate a lot of soloing ideas.

Break up the harmonic minor scale up into chord tones (since each of the chords in a minor key get their notes from it).So, from a jazz piano perspective, here are a few items you can use for improv over minor chords with this scale: Notice how all the notes of A harmonic minor are distributed over those chords? The melody towards the end of “Minor Swing” is a derivative of A harmonic minor in the form of a i – iv – V chord progression in arpeggios: How To Use The Harmonic Minor Scale Like Django Reinhardtĭjango Reinhardt, king of gypsy jazz guitar, frequently used the harmonic minor scale to great effect in his solos.Ĭheck out this improvisation over the Django tune “Minor Swing” by pianist Peter Beets:ĭespite all the embellishment, the harmonic minor scale forms the backbone of Peter Beets’ solo. This will make your performance more interesting for you and your listeners. In this tutorial, you’ll discover new soloing ideas, chords and everything you need to know about the harmonic minor scale.

Want to learn how to use the harmonic minor scale in your improv?

B flat harmonic minor scale piano