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C♯ minor 6 diminished (Barry Harris) scale

The C♯ minor 6 diminished (Barry Harris) scale is made of the notes C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A, A♯, B♯. It has 8 notes; compared with the major scale its formula is 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 6 7.

Bebop · 8 notes

Note names
  1. 1C♯
  2. 2D♯
  3. ♭3E
  4. 4F♯
  5. 5G♯
  6. ♭6A
  7. 6A♯
  8. 7B♯

PatternW – H – W – W – H – H – W – H(W = whole step, H = half step)

Eight-note scales: the added note makes chord tones land on the strong beats. Degrees are shown relative to the major scale: ♭3 is the third lowered by a half step, ♯4 the fourth raised.

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Mode and chords

Barry Harris's eight-note scale: a harmonic minor with the major 6th added. It alternates the notes of the m6 chord and of a diminished chord, and is played over the m6 chord.

Used overC♯m(maj7)C♯m6

Put it into practice

The scale played in thirds over one octave: one of the exercises MEG generates from this scale.

This scale is not part of the demo: in the MEG app you will find it in every key, with 24 patterns.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the notes of the C♯ minor 6 diminished (Barry Harris) scale?
The notes are C♯, D♯, E, F♯, G♯, A, A♯, B♯.
What is the pattern of the C♯ minor 6 diminished (Barry Harris) scale?
The sequence of steps is W – H – W – W – H – H – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step); compared with the major scale the degrees are 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 6 7.
Which chords is the C♯ minor 6 diminished (Barry Harris) scale used over?
It is used over C♯m(maj7), C♯m6: the chords on the tonic made of the notes of the scale.

Texts and tools by , professional musician and developer. Last updated: October 9, 2026.