Ab Bizantine, a Flat-Key Spelling
The Ab Bizantine scale is Ab, Bbb, C, Db, Eb, Fb and G. Bbb sounds as A and Fb as E, so the notation is harder than the music.
Play the root on the 4th fret of the low E string or the 11th fret of the A string. G# Bizantine is the same scale spelled with sharps, which some players find easier to read on a chart.
Play the Ab bizantine scale
Use the step menu in the player to switch between the single-string run and the box shapes.
Notes of the Ab bizantine scale
| Note | Degree | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ab | 1 | Root | 0 |
| Bbb | b2 | Minor 2nd | 1 |
| C | 3 | Major 3rd | 4 |
| Db | 4 | Perfect 4th | 5 |
| Eb | 5 | Perfect 5th | 7 |
| Fb | b6 | Minor 6th | 8 |
| G | 7 | Major 7th | 11 |
Structure
Ab bizantine scale notes:
How the bizantine scale is built:
The bizantine scale is built from the degrees 1 b2 3 4 5 b6 7, which gives the step pattern H-W+H-H-W-H-W+H-H (W = whole step, H = half step).
Counting in semitones from the root: 0, 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11. That makes it a 7-note scale.
It is also known as Double Harmonic Major, Hijaz Kar and Byzantine.
Ab Bizantine Scale Guitar Patterns
Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.
On one string (G)
Box pattern — position 1
Box pattern — position 2
Box pattern — position 3
Box pattern — position 4
Box pattern — position 5
3 notes per string — position 1
3 notes per string — position 2
3 notes per string — position 3
3 notes per string — position 4
3 notes per string — position 5
Chords in the Ab bizantine scale
Stacking thirds on each degree of the scale gives these chords.
Scales with the same notes as Ab Bizantine
These scales use exactly the same notes. Each one starts somewhere else, so the root and the mood change.
| Scale | Starts on degree | Learn the scale |
|---|---|---|
| C# Gipsy Hungarian | 4 | Gipsy Hungarian Scale |
Other scales on Ab
Same root, different notes. Play them back to back to hear what changes.
- Ab Persian: b5 instead of 5
- Ab Arabic: shares 4 notes
- Ab Indian: drops the 3 and 7
- Ab Harmonic Major: 2 instead of b2
- Ab Phrygian Dominant: b7 instead of 7
The bizantine scale in other keys
Keep learning
Created by
Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher
