About the A sharp Harmonic Major scale
A sharp Harmonic Major is used for jazz reharmonization, film music and pop that wants a bittersweet turn. Think of it as a major scale with a borrowed flat sixth, bright but with a shadow.
Its notes are A♯, B♯, C♯♯, D♯, E♯, F♯, and G♯♯. The formula is W W H W H 1½ H.
Also called Sarasangi and Nat Bhairav.
A and D are open guitar strings that sit inside the scale, ready to drone under a riff. The 1st fret of the A string is the lowest A♯ on the neck. With a capo at the first fret, A♯ Harmonic Major can be played with A-shape fingerings.
Positions
Playable shapes for this scale up the neck. Tap any note to hear it.
CAGED
Five shapes, each anchored to a chord form you already know, the pop and rock default that ties your scales to your chords. The outlined notes are that chord, so you can see the C, A, G, E, and D shapes inside the scale.
3NPS
3NPS stands for 3 notes per string. It lays the scale out in seven even shapes for rock and metal lead, and favors speed because the picking pattern stays consistent across every string.
7-position system
7 four-fret boxes, one per scale degree, each a single hand position with almost no shifting. The jazz and classical way, from William Leavitt's Berklee method.
Chords in the key of A sharp Harmonic Major
Expand a chord to see how to play it.
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Seventh chords in A sharp Harmonic Major
The four-note version of each chord, richer and jazzier.
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Position 1 of 4
Progressions in A sharp Harmonic Major
Tap any chord to hear it, or play the whole progression.
Notes and intervals
| 1 | A#A♯ | Root |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | B#B♯ | Major 2nd |
| 3 | C##C♯♯ | Major 3rd |
| 4 | D#D♯ | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | E#E♯ | Perfect 5th |
| 6 | F#F♯ | Minor 6th |
| 7 | G##G♯♯ | Major 7th |
| Steps | W W H W H 1½ H |
|---|---|
| Semitones | 2-2-1-2-1-3-1 |
| Degrees | 1 2 3 4 5 ♭6 7 |
Shapes
Chromatic
Circle of Fifths
Related scales
Harmonic Major in other keys
C Harmonic Major scaleC sharp Harmonic Major scaleD Harmonic Major scaleD sharp Harmonic Major scaleE Harmonic Major scaleF Harmonic Major scaleF sharp Harmonic Major scaleG Harmonic Major scaleG sharp Harmonic Major scaleA Harmonic Major scaleB Harmonic Major scale
Modes
The same notes, starting on a different note.
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