Bb Bizantine, Shape by Shape

Play the Bb bizantine scale

Use the step menu in the player to switch between the single-string run and the box shapes.

Notes of the Bb bizantine scale

Structure

Bb bizantine scale notes:

Bb Cb D Eb F Gb A

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.

Bb Bizantine Scale Guitar Patterns

Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.

On one string (A)

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 Bb bizantine scale

Stacking thirds on each degree of the scale gives these chords.

Scales with the same notes as Bb Bizantine

These scales use exactly the same notes. Each one starts somewhere else, so the root and the mood change.

Other scales on Bb

Same root, different notes. Play them back to back to hear what changes.

• Bb Persian: b5 instead of 5
• Bb Arabic: shares 4 notes
• Bb Indian: drops the 3 and 7
• Bb Harmonic Major: 2 instead of b2
• Bb Phrygian Dominant: b7 instead of 7

The bizantine scale in other keys

All about the bizantine scale →

Keep learning

• Guitar scale song examples
• Three notes per string practice