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Scale · 7 notes

C Hungarian Minor Scale

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

CDGBE♭F♯A♭

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

On the fretboard

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

EADGBe135791215F♯GA♭BCDE♭F♯GBCDE♭F♯GA♭BCDE♭F♯GA♭BCDE♭GA♭BCDE♭F♯GA♭BCDE♭F♯GA♭BCDF♯GA♭BCDE♭F♯G

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

Notes in the C Hungarian Minor scale

DegreeNoteName
1CTonic
2DSupertonic
♭3E♭Mediant
♯4F♯Subdominant
5GDominant
♭6A♭Submediant
7BLeading tone

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

C 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 C Hungarian Minor scale

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

DegreeTriad7th chord
iCmCm(maj7)
IIDD7
III+E♭+E♭7♯5
iv°F♯°F♯°7
VGGmaj7
VIA♭A♭maj7
viiBmBm7

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

How to practise the C 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 C Hungarian Minor scale?

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

What is the formula for the C 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 C Hungarian Minor scale?

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

More C scales

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