Piano scales

Scales source and guide for musicians

Hungarian Scales

The Hungarian Gypsy Scale or the Hungarian Minor Scale (sometimes only referred to as Hungarian Scale) is commonly used in Indian classical music and, of course, Hungarian music. The scale has also been used in rock and classical music. Using the Hungarian scales will give your music an exotic touch.

An easy way to learn this scale is to compare it with the Harmonic Minor. If you haven't noticed it yet, there is only one note, the fourth, that separates the scales from each other. You can treat the Hungarian Gypsy Scale as a Harmonic Minor with the fourth tone one semi-step above.

Hungarian Gypsy Scales

Here are pictures and notes of the Gypsy (or Minor) Hungarian Scale. See also Major Hungarian Scales.

Hungarian Gypsy Scales overview
C: C, D, Eb, F#, G, Ab, B, C
C#/Db: C#, D#, E, F## (G), G#, A, B# (C), C# / Db, Eb, Fb (E), G, Ab, Bbb (A), C, Db
D: D, E, F, G#, A, Bb, C#, D
D#/Eb: D#, E# (F), F#, G## (A), A#, B, C## (D), D# / Eb, F, Gb, A, Bb, Cb (B), D, Eb
E: E, F#, G, A#, B, C, D#, E
F: F, G, Ab, B, C, Db, E, F
F#/Gb: F#, G#, A, B# (C), C#, D, E# (F), F# / Gb, Ab, Bbb (A), C, Db, Ebb (D), F, Gb
G: G, A, Bb, C#, D, Eb, F#, G
G#/Ab: G#, A#, B, C## (D), D#, E, F## (G), G# / Ab, Bb, Cb (B), D, Eb, Fb (E), G, Ab
A: A, B, C, D#, E, F, G#, A
A#/Bb: A#, B# (C), C#, D## (E), E# (F), F#, G## (A), A# / Bb, C, Db, E, F, Gb, A, Bb
B: B, C#, D, E# (F), F#, G, A#, B

Intervals: 1, 2, 3b, 4#, 5, 6b, 7
Semi-notes: 2 - 1 - 3 - 1 - 1 - 3 - 1
Formula: Whole, Half, Whole and a half, Half, Half, Whole and a half, Half

Hungarian Major Scales

Here are pictures and notes of the Major Hungarian Scale.

Hungarian Major Scales overview
C: C, D#, E, F#, G, A, Bb, C
C#/Db: C#, D## (E), E# (F), F## (G), G#, A#, B, C# / Db, E, F, G, Ab, Bb, Cb (B), Db
D: D, E#, F#, G#, A, B, C, D
D#/Eb: D#, E## (F#), F## (G), G## (A), A#, B# (C), C#, D# / Eb, Gb, Abb (G), A, Bb, C, Db, Eb
E: E, F##, G#, A#, B, C#, D, E
F: F, G#, A, B, C, D, Eb, F
F#/Gb: F#, G## (A), A#, B#, C#, D#, E, F# / Gb, A, Bb, C, Db, Eb, Fb (E), Gb
G: G, A#, B, C#, D, E, F, G
G#/Ab: G#, A## (B), B# (C), C## (D), D#, E# (F), F#, G# / Ab, B, C, D, Eb, F, Gb, Ab
A: A, B#, C#, D#, E, F#, G, A
A#/Bb: A#, B## (C#), C## (D), D## (E), E# (F), F## (G), G#, A# / Cbb (Bb), Db, Ebb (D), Fb (E), Gbb (F), Abb (G), Ab, Bb
B: B, C## (D), D#, E# (F), F#, G#, A, B

Intervals: 1, 2#, 3, 4#, 5, 6b, 7
Semi-notes: 3 - 1 - 2 - 1 - 2 - 1 - 2
Formula: Whole and a half, Half, Whole, Half, Whole, Half, Whole