Scale Lesson

• Music Theory
• Piano Chords
• Piano Chords in the Key of C
• Piano Chords in the Key of D
• Piano Chords in the Key of E
• Piano Chords in the Key of F
• Piano Chords in the Key of G
• Piano Chords in the Key of A
• Piano Chords in the Key of B
• Guitar Chords
• Guitar Chords in the Key of C
• Guitar Chords in the Key of D
• Guitar Chords in the Key of E
• Guitar Chords in the Key of F
• Guitar Chords in the Key of G
• Guitar Chords in the Key of A
• Guitar Chords in the Key of B
• Scale Lessons
• Chinese scale (Major Pentatonic scale)
• Oriental (Arabic) scale
• Indian scale
• Spanish scale
• Gypsy scale
• Natural minor scale (Aeorian Mode)
• Harmonic minor scale
• Melodic minor scale
• Major scale (Ionian Mode)
• Dorian scale
• Phrygian scale
• Lydian scale
• Mixolydian scale
• Locrian scale

Gypsy Scale

This lecture is the Gypsy scale. Gypsy scale is the Phrygian dominant scale (or Harmonic minor scale perfect 5th below) with a raised 7th, and also called Double harmonic scale, or Persian scale.

Gypsy scale consists of following notes.

Gypsy scale and Phrygian dominant scale

	C		D		E	F		G		A		B
Gypsy scale	♪	♪			♪	♪		♪	♪			♪
Harmonic Minor Perfect 5th Below （Phrygian Dominant Scale）	♪	♪			♪	♪		♪	♪		♪

Let's listen to the sample song using the Gypsy scale.

Mode-like Gypsy Scale

An interval which consists one and half step appears two times. and that makes the sound.

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The scale which is difficult to handle

Because of lack of modern tonality, Gypsy scale seems really suited to mode-like music. In case of using this scale for modern music, some adjustments may be required.

Let's listen to the song using the Gypsy scale with an adjustment to the tonality.

The sound has changed dramatically.

If you raise the 7th note of the Gypsy scale, it becomes a Phrygian dominat scale. But this is big difference. Each semitone has its own life.