Accordion Bass Scale – Harmonic Minor

Video

Since I  posted “Accordion Bass Scales” (where I describe how to play major scales in some detail with a diagram) I have been asked for a diagram for the minor scale – not as easy for a few reasons but here we go: If you dont like diagrams jump straight to the video!

I play 3 different minor scales: Harmonic, Melodic and Natural. Wikipedia has quite a good explanation of each here. This post deals with the Harmonic Minor.

Fingers are numbered like this: Index = 2, Middle = 3, Ring = 4 and Little = 5.

In Accordion music the symbol     _     under or over a bass note indicates that it is to be played on the counterbass row which is the row nearest the bellows.

Harmonic Minor Scale

Harmonic: This is the one with that marvellous eastern sounding bit at the end: semitone, minor 3rd, semitone! the notes for Am Harmonic are: A, B, C, D, E, F, G#, A

Here are 3 diagrams and the music:

Start with your 3rd finger on A and get the counterbass B with your 4th – stretch don’t jump. Your 5th finger then plays C on the bass row. If the stretch is too much try starting with your 2nd finger and see the note on alternative fingering below.

Now you let your hand contract slightly so that your 3rd finger can play D and repeat the same movement – the playing of A, B, C is identical to the playing of D, E, F but 1 button nearer the floor.

Now comes the big stretch F to G# – you have saved your 2nd finger all this time to get the G#! your 3rd can fall nicely onto the A and you can continue up or reverse the procedure to descend.

Minor Harmonic Easier Fingering Alternatives

If you only want to do 1 octave you can play 24524523 instead of my 34534523 – but you don’t end on the finger you started with.