C Hungarian minor scale
C Hungarian minor is C D E♭ F♯ G A♭ B. Hungarian minor: harmonic minor with a raised fourth, two augmented seconds, and an angular sound common in folk-inspired writing.
- Formula
- 1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 ♭6 7
- Steps
- W H W+H H H W+H H
- Notes
- 7
Notes and degrees
The C Hungarian minor scale has seven notes: C D E♭ F♯ G A♭ B. Each degree is named by its distance from the tonic, C.
| Degree | Note | Interval above C | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | P1 | tonic | |
| 2 | M2 | supertonic | |
| 3 | m3 | mediant | |
| 4 | A4 | subdominant | |
| 5 | P5 | dominant | |
| 6 | m6 | submediant | |
| 7 | M7 | leading tone |
On the piano
Every key of the scale is lit in its own colour. Click one to hear it.
On the guitar
Every C scale tone on the first twelve frets in standard tuning. The tonic is ringed. Click a dot to hear the note.
Chords in C Hungarian minor
Stacking thirds on each degree gives a triad and a seventh chord. The numerals are measured from the tonic against the major scale, so a ♭ means that chord root is lower than in major.
| Numeral | Triad | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| i | Cm | Cm(maj7) |
| D F♯ A♭ | D F♯ A♭ C | |
| ♭III+ | E♭aug | E♭ G B D |
| F♯ A♭ C | F♯ A♭ C E♭ | |
| V | G | Gmaj7 |
| ♭VI | A♭ | A♭maj7 |
| vii | Bm | B D F♯ A♭ |
What it sounds like
Hungarian minor follows the pattern whole, half, augmented second, half, half, augmented second, half. It has two augmented seconds: one between the flat third and the raised fourth, and one between the flat sixth and the major seventh. The raised fourth and the leaps of the augmented seconds give melodies an angular, insistent shape, while the minor tonic keeps the color minor. The major seventh supplies a leading tone, which natural minor lacks.
Where you hear it
In Western theory, Hungarian minor is linked to the Hungarian and Romani idioms that Romantic composers drew on, and its augmented seconds are often cited as the means of evoking that style. Jazz players use the scale over minor chords for an exotic color, and some rock and metal guitarists use it for angular riffs. Its use is more a matter of idiom than of a fixed tradition, so a single scale never captures a whole musical culture.
How it is built
Hungarian minor is harmonic minor with the fourth degree raised, so it differs from harmonic minor by one note. It has no parent mode in the major or minor families. On C, its chords include C minor with a major seventh, an augmented triad on E♭ (E♭ G B), and a major seventh chord on G. The raised fourth, F♯, lies outside the usual notes of C minor, which is what gives the scale its edge.
Scales with the same notes
These scales use the same seven pitches as C Hungarian minor, starting from a different note.
Other 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 whole-tone
- C diminished (whole–half)
- C diminished (half–whole)
- C Phrygian dominant
- C Lydian dominant
- C altered
- C double harmonic major
- C bebop dominant
How to practise it
Play C Hungarian minor, C D E♭ F♯ G A♭ B, against a drone on C. Sing the augmented second from E♭ to F♯, then from A♭ to B, until both leaps sound natural. Improvise over Cm(maj7) with the scale, using F♯ as a passing tone to G. Then play the augmented triad E♭ G B over a C minor chord to hear its color.
Further reading
- Natural, Harmonic and Melodic Minor Scales ComparedFundamentals · 6 min
- Chord-Scale Theory Explained: Which Scale Fits Which ChordJazz & Popular Harmony · 7 min
- Romantic Chromaticism and the Expanding TonicMusic History · 8 min
Questions
What are the notes of the C Hungarian minor scale?
The C Hungarian minor scale is C, D, E♭, F♯, G, A♭, B. Written ascending it returns to C an octave higher.
What is the formula for the C Hungarian minor scale?
The formula is 1 2 ♭3 ♯4 5 ♭6 7 measured from the major scale. As steps that is W, H, W+H, H, H, W+H, H (W is a whole step, H a half step).
Which chords belong to C Hungarian minor?
Stacking thirds on each degree gives the triads Cm, DF♯A♭, E♭aug, F♯A♭C, G, A♭, Bm.
What is Hungarian minor?
Hungarian minor is a seven-note scale that equals harmonic minor with the fourth degree raised. On C it is C D E♭ F♯ G A♭ B. It has two augmented seconds, between E♭ and F♯ and between A♭ and B. In Western theory it is associated with Hungarian and Romani-style playing.
How is Hungarian minor different from harmonic minor?
Hungarian minor raises the fourth of harmonic minor. On C, harmonic minor is C D E♭ F G A♭ B and Hungarian minor is C D E♭ F♯ G A♭ B. Harmonic minor has one augmented second, between the sixth and seventh degrees, while Hungarian minor adds a second one between the third and the raised fourth.
What chords go with Hungarian minor?
The tonic chord is minor with a major seventh, C m(maj7) on C. The third degree is an augmented triad, E♭ G B, which is characteristic of the scale. The fifth degree is a major seventh chord, G maj7. Improvisers use the scale over minor chords and minor-major sevenths, with the raised fourth as a color tone.