The C Gipsy Hungarian Scale on Guitar
The C Gipsy Hungarian scale, also called C Hungarian minor, is C, D, Eb, F#, G, Ab and B. Think of C harmonic minor with the fourth raised from F to F#.
That single change creates two augmented seconds, Eb to F# and Ab to B, which give the scale its dramatic sound. Find the root on the 8th fret of the low E string or the 3rd fret of the A string. For other colours in the same family, see other exotic scales.
Play the C gipsy hungarian scale
Use the step menu in the player to switch between the single-string run and the box shapes.
Notes of the C gipsy hungarian scale
| Note | Degree | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | 1 | Root | 0 |
| D | 2 | Major 2nd | 2 |
| Eb | b3 | Minor 3rd | 3 |
| F# | #4 | Tritone | 6 |
| G | 5 | Perfect 5th | 7 |
| Ab | b6 | Minor 6th | 8 |
| B | 7 | Major 7th | 11 |
Structure
C gipsy hungarian scale notes:
How the gipsy hungarian scale is built:
The gipsy hungarian scale is built from the degrees 1 2 b3 #4 5 b6 7, which gives the step pattern W-H-W+H-H-H-W+H-H (W = whole step, H = half step).
Counting in semitones from the root: 0, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 11. That makes it a 7-note scale.
It is also known as Hungarian Minor.
C Gipsy Hungarian Scale Guitar Patterns
Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.
On one string (B)
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 C gipsy hungarian scale
Stacking thirds on each degree of the scale gives these chords.
Scales with the same notes as C Gipsy Hungarian
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 |
|---|---|---|
| G Bizantine | 5 | Bizantine Scale |
Other scales on C
Same root, different notes. Play them back to back to hear what changes.
- C Persian: shares 4 notes
- C Bizantine: shares 4 notes
- C Dorian #4: shares 5 notes
- C Harmonic Minor: 4 instead of #4
The gipsy hungarian scale in other keys
Keep learning
Created by
Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher
