A♭ Harmonic Minor — Contrary Motion
Contrary-motion scales train symmetric finger movement between the hands — right hand ascending while left hand descends from the same tonic. The hands meet at the apex two octaves out and return together. A standard ABRSM / RCM exam scale shape.
Tempo120 bpm
Audio source: tonejs-instruments by Nick Brosowsky (MIT)
Related scales
ParallelA♭ Natural MinorDrop the leading tone — natural minor without harmonic minor's classical pull.ParallelA♭ Melodic MinorRaise the 6th too — the classical melodic minor ascending pattern.5th modeE♭ Phrygian DominantSame pitch collection, tonic on the 5th — Spanish flamenco vocabulary.2nd modeB♭ Locrian Natural 6Same pitch collection, tonic on the 2nd — Locrian with a ♮6, used over m7♭5.Up a fifthE♭ Harmonic MinorOne sharp brighter on the harmonic minor circle.Up a fourthD♭ Harmonic MinorOne flat darker.One note differentA♭ HungarianRaise the 4th and you get Hungarian minor — same haunting edge with an extra augmented 2nd.ExoticA♭ Double HarmonicBorrow the augmented 2nd into the lower tetrachord too — Byzantine / Arabic vocabulary.