STRINGSCALES

A hungarian major Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, F#, G, A, B#, C#, D#, E at frets 0, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12

A string: A, B#, C#, D#, E, F#, G, A at frets 0, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12

D string: D#, E, F#, G, A, B#, C# at frets 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11

G string: G, A, B#, C#, D#, E, F#, G at frets 0, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12

B string: B#, C#, D#, E, F#, G, A at frets 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10

High E string: E, F#, G, A, B#, C#, D#, E at frets 0, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12

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A hungarian major

The hungarian major scale is a bright oddity: root, sharp 2nd, major 3rd, sharp 4th, 5th, 6th, flat 7th. The augmented 2nd opening (like harmonic minor upside down) collides with a lydian dominant top half. Brubeck and progressive writers have toyed with it; over a 13#11 chord it delivers exotic and functional at once.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

A

I

Amaj
B♯

#ii°

B♯dim
C♯

iii°

C♯dim
D♯

#iv°

D♯dim
E

V+

Em♯5
F♯

vi

F♯m
G

bvii

B♯m/G

hungarian major in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • Start phrases with the augmented 2nd right at the bottom: root to #2 (C) to III is the scale's calling card.
  • Treat it as lydian dominant with a raised 2nd: over a A13#11 chord, everything lands.
  • The #4 (D#) resolves up to V while bVII (G) resolves down to VI; work both tendencies into one line for maximum color.
  • Its odd symmetry (it is a mode of a rotation of half-whole diminished) means diminished licks can be recycled inside it.

How to play A hungarian major on guitar

Open A is a root, both E strings give the fifth and open G the minor seventh, so four strings ring in key with nothing held down. Chord V+ is Em#5, which means the fifth degree turns up minor with a raised fifth instead of a dominant. Fretted roots are fret 5 on both E strings, fret 7 on the D, fret 2 on the G and fret 10 on the B. Second position begins at fret 9.

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