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Harmonic Major Scale on Piano

Compare C and G harmonic major with their major scales, including the lowered sixth and augmented second.

Current scale

C harmonic major

Hand
Right hand
Range
C4-C5 · 1 octave
Demo / print tempo
60 BPM

C – D – E – F – G – A♭ – B – C

Direction: Ascending · C4 → C5 · Semitone movement: 2 – 2 – 1 – 2 – 1 – 3 – 1

C harmonic major: C - D - E - F - G - Ab - B - C.

Berklee original score checked visually; independent Hub Guitar degree formula; G also explicitly spelled by Robin Stone

Ascending

Notes only
NotesC4D4E4F4G4A♭4B4C5

Notes only - fingering is not available for this form, hand, direction and one-octave range.

C4D4E4F4G4♭Ab4B4C5

Keyboard

C4 to C5
C4C#4Db4D4D#4Eb4E4F4F#4Gb4G4A♭4A4A#4Bb4B4C5

Sources and checking scope

Current collection: C and G harmonic major; compare with ordinary major. Unknown fingering remains notes-only and is never copied from the previous selection.

Practice task

Check the notes

Select every note used in C harmonic major, ascending. This question checks the note set; octave and order do not matter.

Chosen: None

Attempt open · unassisted

Answer reference: C harmonic major, ascending - note set

C - D - E - F - G - A♭ - B. Octave and order are not scored in this question.

Answer reference: C harmonic major, ascending - right hand

C4 - D4 - E4 - F4 - G4 - A♭4 - B4 - C5

Single-hand guide

Practice with a pulse

60 BPM

This guide does not listen to your piano. Completion is self-reported. The staff is a pitch reference; the pulse controls timing.

Practice tempo: 60 BPM · 1 octave · Right hand · C4-C5 · 4-beat count-in

PianoGrid

Harmonic Major Scale on Piano: C harmonic major

View: Right hand · Direction: ascending · Range: one octave

Current scale

C harmonic major

Hand
Right hand
Range
C4-C5 · 1 octave
Demo / print tempo
60 BPM

C – D – E – F – G – A♭ – B – C

Direction: Ascending · C4 → C5 · Semitone movement: 2 – 2 – 1 – 2 – 1 – 3 – 1

Ascending

Notes only
NotesC4D4E4F4G4A♭4B4C5

Notes only - fingering is not available for this form, hand, direction and one-octave range.

C4D4E4F4G4♭Ab4B4C5

Keyboard

C4 to C5
C4C#4Db4D4D#4Eb4E4F4F#4Gb4G4A♭4A4A#4Bb4B4C5

Sources and checking scope

  • Berklee PULSE: All Scales and Arpeggios, Bass Clef (https://pulse.berklee.edu/content/practice/pdfs/PR_All_Scales_Arp_Bass_Clef.pdf)Checked for: C and G harmonic major notation and interval patternLocation: PDF pages 242 and 249, printed pages 238 and 245, first staff only
  • Hub Guitar / Grey: Harmonic Major Scale (https://hubguitar.com/music-theory/harmonic-major)Checked for: Harmonic major degrees 1 2 3 4 5 b6 7 Contrast with harmonic minorLocation: Scale table and Harmonic Major Notation
  • Berklee PULSE: C Major Scale (https://pulse.berklee.edu/scales/c-major-scale.html)Checked for: C ionian pitch spellingLocation: Opening note list

Current selected reference. Notes, staff, keyboard and any finger numbers come from this same view. Missing fingering remains notes-only.

Complete supported comparison

This table lists every named example supported on this page. The final repeated note is the octave endpoint.

On a narrow screen, scroll this table horizontally to read every column.

Harmonic Major Scale on Piano supported examples
ExampleAscending notesInterval steps
C harmonic majorC – D – E – F – G – A♭ – B – C2 – 2 – 1 – 2 – 1 – 3 – 1
G harmonic majorG – A – B – C – D – E♭ – F♯ – G2 – 2 – 1 – 2 – 1 – 3 – 1

Major with a lowered sixth

Harmonic major keeps the major third and major seventh of a major scale while lowering its sixth degree. Its formula is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, flat 6, 7. C harmonic major therefore uses A-flat in place of the A-natural found in C major. The remaining C-major note names stay the same.

Read two concrete examples

C harmonic major contains C, D, E, F, G, A-flat and B. G harmonic major contains G, A, B, C, D, E-flat and F-sharp. The G example retains F-sharp: lowering the sixth changes E, not the seventh. Compare the major and harmonic-major rows before following the keyboard sequence.

Notice the larger step

The gap from the lowered sixth to the seventh spans three semitones: A-flat to B in C, or E-flat to F-sharp in G. With those letter spellings, the interval is an augmented second. Harmonic minor also contains this gap, but its third degree is minor; harmonic major retains the major third.

Compare one changed note

Read G major once, then G harmonic major. Isolate D, E-flat, F-sharp, G and check the written accidentals. Repeat the comparison on C using G, A-flat, B, C. Keep the spelling visible rather than renaming A-flat as G-sharp.

Continue with a source-backed reference that matches this task.

Frequently asked questions

What changes from the major scale?

Harmonic major lowers degree 6 of a major scale and keeps its major third and leading tone. C major changes A to Ab, giving C–D–E–F–G–Ab–B–C.

What are the notes in C and G harmonic major?

C harmonic major: C–D–E–F–G–Ab–B–C; G harmonic major: G–A–B–C–D–Eb–F#–G. The repeated tonic completes each octave.

Where is the augmented second?

The augmented second is between lowered degree 6 and degree 7: Ab–B in C harmonic major and Eb–F# in G harmonic major. It spans three semitones while using consecutive scale-letter names.

How is harmonic major different from harmonic minor?

With the same tonic, harmonic major has a major third and harmonic minor has a minor third. Compare C harmonic major C–D–E–F–G–Ab–B with C harmonic minor C–D–Eb–F–G–Ab–B. Both collections have Ab and B, but E versus Eb changes the third.

Sources and scope

Sources below are limited to the note, theory, fingering, or editorial scope recorded for this page. A source record is not the same as a teacher review.