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Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Jun 30 2011, 03:10 PM

Here's another scale related question for everybody:


How often and in what situations (over which chords) do you use melodic or harmonic minor scales (or melodic and harmonic minor licks)?

Posted by: SirJamsalot Jun 30 2011, 05:37 PM

When it would sound good!
Depends on the backing track and if that's where my mind would lead me! But that brings up a great question - how many of you can hum a melodic minor scale right now without listening to it first!

check your answers here:
http://www.musictheory.net/exercises/ear-scale/99bbyby

Posted by: El Fortinero Jun 30 2011, 05:49 PM

The only thing i am sure is that when doing a minor scale if you change the 5th grade chord wich is minor you change it to major, when that chord is played you can play the minor armonic. Unfourtunately (or not) it sounds too Malmsteen ,... so if you are not in this style mmmm

I really want to know more things like that, so GMC Masterss share your wisdom

Posted by: SirJamsalot Jun 30 2011, 06:16 PM

I'm not familiar with the terminology "5th grade chord". Traditionally they are numbered 1-7 and the major/minors/diminished are ordered as:

1. Major
2. Minor
3. Minor
4. Major
5. Major
6. Minor
7 Diminished

So 5 would actually be a major chord if you're playing in key.

But Yngvie is awesome, so who could fault anyone for wanting to sound too Malmsteen?

Posted by: Sinisa Cekic Jun 30 2011, 06:21 PM

I like to use harmonic minor,often . Am/ E7 progression,for instance. Or let's look from another angle - E Phrygian dominant scale is actually a mode - the fifth mode of the A Harmonic Minor scale

Posted by: El Fortinero Jun 30 2011, 09:29 PM

In a minor scale I mean,
so if we play the minor scale of A, the fifth grade will be an E(minor) but if we change it to a E (major) you can play the armonic of A in that moment, and it will sound too Yngwie.
Hope you get the idea

Posted by: Sinisa Cekic Jun 30 2011, 09:36 PM

The fifth grade is Major Dominant,so it will be E7 !

edit: and YES, that's Yngwish trip !

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jul 1 2011, 06:12 PM

I use diminished scale and arpeggios when I'm shredding... I like the way Malmsteen or Vinnie Moore uses it. I don't use the Melodic Minor too much but it's in the list of things to do!

Posted by: Ben Higgins Jul 1 2011, 06:54 PM

I agree ! The melodic minor sounds ace, it's just knowing where to put it.

The harmonic minor is a great scale to use.. not so easy to use without sounding like Yngwie etc..

If you start counting the scale from the 5th, then it does become the Phyrgian Dominant. Check out the way Steve Vai uses Phrygian Dominant in Taurus Bulba from the Firegarden suite. It was the first time I heard another guitarist use that scale and do something different with it ie, not sound like Yngwie. I'm sure there are loads more, including you guys too.. but that was the first time I noticed it myself, years ago.

The bit I'm talking about is from 5:35 but of course you should listen to the whole thing to feel the tension/release effect of the heavy riff coming in !

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Jul 2 2011, 09:54 AM

Excellent advices guys, great thoughts!

Posted by: Frederik Jul 2 2011, 10:11 AM

Harmonic minor i use in minor cadences (i-V)
i dont know how to harmonize or use melodic, but i think its used in jazz a lot