STRINGSCALES

C hungarian major Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, F#, G, A, Bb, C, D#, E at frets 0, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 11, 12

A string: A, Bb, C, D#, E, F#, G, A at frets 0, 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12

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

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

B string: C, D#, E, F#, G, A, Bb at frets 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11

High E string: E, F#, G, A, Bb, C, D#, E at frets 0, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 11, 12

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C 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:

C

I

Cmaj
D♯

#ii°

D♯dim
E

iii°

Edim
F♯

#iv°

F♯dim
G

V+

Gm♯5
A

vi

Am
B♭

bvii

D#m/B♭

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 (D#) to III is the scale's calling card.
  • Treat it as lydian dominant with a raised 2nd: over a C13#11 chord, everything lands.
  • The #4 (F#) resolves up to V while bVII (Bb) 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 C hungarian major on guitar

Open A and open G belong to the scale at the sixth and the fifth, with both E strings at the major third, so four strings can hold under a fretted line. Chord #iv° is F#dim, which means a diminished grip sits right in the middle of the key. Roots are fret 8 on both E strings, fret 3 on the A, fret 5 on the G and fret 1 on the B. At fret 12 the second shape takes over.

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