B Harmonic Minor Guitar Scale — 8-string

B Harmonic Minor in 8-string — Notes and Intervals

The B Harmonic Minor scale is a variation of the minor scale that introduces a strong leading tone. On Guitar, the notes are B, C#, D, E, F#, G, A#. It has a distinctive exotic or Middle Eastern flavor due to the wide gap between its upper notes, and is used to provide the harmonic tension necessary for classical minor-key resolutions. It is a staple in neo-classical metal and flamenco. The diatonic chords of B Harmonic Minor are BmMaj7, C#m7b5, D+maj7, Em7, F#7, Gmaj7, A#o7. Commonly used in Metal, Classical, Flamenco, Film Scores, Neoclassical. Notable players include Yngwie Malmsteen, Ritchie Blackmore, Johann Sebastian Bach. Use over m(Maj7), m7, dim7 chords. Essential for creating V7 → i resolutions in minor keys. The raised 7th provides the leading tone that natural minor lacks.

Notes: B, C#, D, E, F#, G, A#

Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3m, 4P, 5P, 6m, 7M

Degrees: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7

Formula: W-H-W-W-H-WH-H

Number of notes: 7

Tuning: 8-string (F#-B-E-A-D-G-B-E)

Diatonic Chords

BmMaj7 — C♯m7♭5 — D+maj7 — Em7 — F♯7 — Gmaj7 — A♯o7

About 8-string Tuning

The 8-string guitar adds both a low B and a low F# string (F#-B-E-A-D-G-B-E), pushing the instrument's range almost into bass guitar territory. This massive tonal range has become the weapon of choice for djent, progressive metal, and experimental composers who need bone-crushing low-end and soaring highs in a single instrument.

With artists like Tosin Abasi, Meshuggah, and After the Burial leading the charge, the 8-string guitar has redefined what's possible in modern heavy music. The low F# string delivers subsonic heaviness that you can feel in your chest, while the upper strings maintain standard guitar voicings for leads and clean passages. Extended-range compositions often exploit the full span of the instrument, creating a wall of sound that covers bass, rhythm, and lead guitar roles simultaneously.

Notable artists: Meshuggah, Animals as Leaders, After the Burial, Intervals, Monuments

Best for: Djent polyrhythms, extended-range metal riffs, experimental compositions, and one-instrument arrangements spanning bass to lead

Explore This Scale in Other Tunings

• B Harmonic Minor in Standard Tuning
• B Harmonic Minor in Drop D
• B Harmonic Minor in DADGAD
• B Harmonic Minor in Open G
• B Harmonic Minor in Baritone (B Standard)
• B Harmonic Minor in 7-string
• B Harmonic Minor in Drop C
• B Harmonic Minor in Drop B
• B Harmonic Minor in Open D
• B Harmonic Minor in Half Step Down
• B Harmonic Minor in Open E
• B Harmonic Minor in Open A
• B Harmonic Minor in Double Drop D
• B Harmonic Minor in Open C

← All Guitar scales in 8-string tuning