Guitar UpscaleHirajoshi Scale on guitar
Hirajoshi is a five note Japanese koto scale with a flat third and flat sixth, popular with rock and metal guitarists.
| Notes in A | A B C E F |
|---|---|
| Formula | 1 2 b3 5 b6 |
| Steps | W H 2W H 2W (W whole step, H half step) |
| Note count | 5 |
| Style in the app | Far Eastern, scale "Hirajoshi" |
Play the A Hirajoshi Scale on the fretboard in Guitar Upscale
About the Hirajoshi Scale
The notes are root, 2nd, flat 3rd, 5th and flat 6th. It comes from a tuning of the koto, the Japanese zither.
Two half steps and two wide gaps make it sound both sad and open. Rock and metal players use it for an Eastern touch in solos.
On guitar it fits in two notes per string shapes, which makes fast runs easy.
Intervals from the root
| Degree | Interval | Semitones | In A |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Root | 0 | A |
| 2 | Major 2nd | 2 | B |
| b3 | Minor 3rd | 3 | C |
| 5 | Perfect 5th | 7 | E |
| b6 | Minor 6th | 8 | F |
Same notes, another starting note
Start the A Hirajoshi Scale on another of its notes and you get these scales:
- From degree 2 (B): B Iwato Scale
- From degree b3 (C): C Hirajoshi 2 scale
- From degree 5 (E): E Kumoi 2 scale
- From degree b6 (F): F Chinese Scale
Hirajoshi Scale in every key
| Key | Notes | Play it |
|---|---|---|
| C | C D Eb G Ab | Open |
| C# | C# D# E G# A | Open |
| D | D E F A Bb | Open |
| Eb | Eb F Gb Bb Cb | Open |
| E | E F# G B C | Open |
| F | F G Ab C Db | Open |
| F# | F# G# A C# D | Open |
| G | G A Bb D Eb | Open |
| G# | G# A# B D# E | Open |
| A | A B C E F | Open |
| Bb | Bb C Db F Gb | Open |
| B | B C# D F# G | Open |