Skip to content
MusicTheoryGym

Scale · 7 notes

B Hungarian Minor Scale

B Hungarian Minor is a 7-note scale with the notes B C♯ D E♯ F♯ G A♯. It sounds harmonic minor with a raised 4th, dramatic and Eastern European, with two augmented seconds.

DE♯GBC♯F♯A♯

Purple = B (the tonic) · green = other scale notes

On the fretboard

Every B hungarian minor note on the neck. Pick a pattern to see the compact fingering shape that fits under one hand.

EADGBe135791215E♯F♯GA♯BC♯DE♯F♯GA♯BC♯DE♯F♯GA♯BDE♯F♯GA♯BC♯DE♯GA♯BC♯DE♯F♯GA♯BC♯DE♯F♯GA♯BC♯DE♯F♯GA♯BC♯DE♯F♯G

Blue = B (the root) · green = other scale notes

Notes in the B Hungarian Minor scale

DegreeNoteName
1BTonic
2C♯Supertonic
♭3DMediant
♯4E♯Subdominant
5F♯Dominant
♭6GSubmediant
7A♯Leading tone

Each note uses a different letter name, so the spelling follows the scale rather than the keyboard: B C♯ D E♯ F♯ G A♯.

B Hungarian Minor scale formula

The pattern of steps from one note to the next is W – H – W+H – H – H – W+H – H (W = whole step, H = half step). Compared with the major scale the degrees are 1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 ♭6 7.

Chords in the B Hungarian Minor scale

Stacking thirds on each note of the scale gives these chords:

DegreeTriad7th chord
iBmBm(maj7)
IIC♯C♯7
III+D+D7♯5
iv°E♯°E♯°7
VF♯F♯maj7
VIGGmaj7
viiA♯mA♯m7

Chord names link to guitar chord shapes where we have them.

How to practise the B Hungarian Minor scale

Learn it as a variation of a scale you know and listen for the augmented second, the big step that gives it the sound. Play it over a drone on the root to hear the colour before you write with it.

Frequently asked questions

What are the notes in the B Hungarian Minor scale?

The notes of the B Hungarian Minor scale are B C♯ D E♯ F♯ G A♯.

What is the formula for the B Hungarian Minor scale?

The pattern of whole and half steps is W – H – W+H – H – H – W+H – H (W = whole step, H = half step). In scale degrees: 1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 ♭6 7.

What chords are in the B Hungarian Minor scale?

Built from the scale in triads: Bm, C♯, D+, E♯°, F♯, G, A♯m.

More B scales

B Major, B Natural Minor, B Harmonic Minor, B Melodic Minor, B Dorian, B Phrygian, B Lydian, B Mixolydian, B Locrian, B Major Pentatonic, B Minor Pentatonic, B Blues, B Lydian Dominant, B Altered, B Dorian ♭2, B Mixolydian ♭6, B Locrian ♯2, B Phrygian Dominant, B Double Harmonic, B Diminished (W–H), B Diminished (H–W), B Bebop Dominant, B Bebop Major

Explore the full scales library, find a scale from notes with the scale finder, or see every chord in every key in the chord chart.