In this easy Spanish guitar lesson I'm going to teach you how to play a scale and a chord progression that has an exotic flamenco sound. Take your time practice the notes of the scale slowly until it becomes second nature.
How To Practice The B Harmonic Minor Scale
The B harmonic minor scale it's a fun scale to use for improvising over of the minor progression. The harmonic minor has an exotic sound and reflects the Moorish influence on flamenco music.
I like to use this scale that has a slide in it because the slide at some character to the notes. I'd encourage you to play around right within notes slide to see what kind of sound you can make.
First, play the scale all the way through. Start from the lowest note and work up into the highest note. Then practice coming back down the scale starting from the highest note. Progress to where you can go up and down fluidly.
Another good practice is to just play for five notes out of the scale and see how fast you can go. You can start from any note and go either up or down. This is a good practice to improve your speed and also to keep things interesting.
Of course another fun way to practice a scale is while playing along with the chord progression.
B Minor Chord Progression
Here's the chords that I'm playing in the first part of this video:
||:Bm///|////|Em///|////|G///|////|F#///|////:||
All the chords are bar chords except the E minor which is an open position chord.
Of course this is not the only way to play the B harmonic minor scale, but I think you'll find this a useful addition to your repertoire of guitar scales.
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great B scale I would like to learn more so send what you talk about in the video.thank you for all you do for my guitar lessons. Gil.
Very nice lesson. Your demo especially great. Heading down to practice this one now. Thanks Tomas. Mike
Hi Tom,
I have a theory question. in Bm, is that in the key of D? if so, isn’t the F# a minor chord since it is the third of D. thank you
George
Hey George. Good question. The short answer it’s common to make the 5 chord in a key a major chord to give it the dominant function. This is in the key of B minor which is the relative key to D major, not quite the same as in the key of D major. Hope that helps.
Tomas,
Really like this lesson. Like the overview with backing track to let us hear how it all sounds together.
I for one, would really appreciate a backing track and the chord progression. I would also appreciate a lengthier sample of scale improvising over the backing track. When learning scales, it’s hard to know how to musically use them with a progression, without just playing each note of the scale progressively.
Great Job! Thanks…
Thanks for the kind words Randy. Your comment ” lengthier sample of scale improvising over the backing track” sounds like a request to include in my new course coming out soon 🙂
Hi Tomas… thanks for posting the free lessons. I’m always interested in what you offer. I haven’t played in 20 years so I’m rusty and I’m learning more from you than I have from previous instructors. I don’t read music (should learn)but wondering if you could include printed version of what you play on video. Printed Visual along with video would help.
Thanks for all you do… Wes/ Ft Worth, TX
Hi Wes,
Concerning printed music – I do include printed worksheet for most of the material in my course Real Guitar Awesomeness. But more importantly, currently I’m including a complete step by step module as a bonus on learning note reading. This module alone is worth the price of the course if you want to read notes. You can find out more here: http://www.realguitarawesomeness.com
Thanks,
Tomas
Tomas,
Thanks for showing us. Can you provide a music score with notes and finger numbers. Tab would be OK; I’ve seen the finger number place in parentheses just ahead of the fret number. Nice, melancholy sound.
My company has been recently acquired by a Spanish (Catalan) company, so my future could be enhance with this musical communication. Thanks for the time and trouble.
Robert
Hi Robert,
I do include printed music for most of the material in my paid courses. My new course Rumba Flamenco Spanish Guitar will be available soon
Take care,
Tomas
Thank you very much Tomas. I had many exam in the university, thus could not play for a while. But I am back and looking forward your awesom lessons. Thank you soooo much!
Hello Sayed,
Music lovers usually excel in school. I know, you do good in your exams. 🙂 🙂
Glad that you’re back and happy to tell you that my new course Rumba Flamenco Spanish Guitar is almost done.
Watch it out.
Thanks,
Tomas