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A♭ hungarian major scale on bass guitar
A♭ Hungarian major uses A♭, C♭, C, E♭♭, E♭, F, G♭. Box 1 places the root on string 4, fret 4 for a low position.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, 3, ♭5, 5, 6, ♭7
How do you play the A♭ hungarian major scale on bass?
A♭ hungarian major in box 1 runs from fret 1 to fret 4, 10 notes across 4 strings, from F on the E string at fret 1 up to C♭ on the G string at fret 4. The root falls on the E string at fret 4 and the G string at fret 1.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 1, 2, 4 | F, G♭, A♭ |
| 3 (A) | 2, 3 | C♭, C |
| 2 (D) | 1, 3, 4 | E♭, F, G♭ |
| 1 (G) | 1, 4 | A♭, C♭ |
Box 2 · frets 4–7
A♭ hungarian major in box 2 runs from fret 4 to fret 7, 9 notes across 4 strings, from A♭ on the E string at fret 4 up to E♭♭ on the G string at fret 7. The root falls on the E string at fret 4 and the D string at fret 6.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 4, 7 | A♭, C♭ |
| 3 (A) | 5, 6 | E♭♭, E♭ |
| 2 (D) | 4, 6 | G♭, A♭ |
| 1 (G) | 4, 5, 7 | C♭, C, E♭♭ |
Box 3 · frets 7–10
A♭ hungarian major in box 3 runs from fret 7 to fret 10, 10 notes across 4 strings, from C♭ on the E string at fret 7 up to F on the G string at fret 10. No root falls inside this box; it sits between two of them.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 7, 8, 10 | C♭, C, E♭♭ |
| 3 (A) | 8, 9 | F, G♭ |
| 2 (D) | 9, 10 | C♭, C |
| 1 (G) | 7, 8, 10 | E♭♭, E♭, F |
Box 4 · frets 10–13
A♭ hungarian major in box 4 runs from fret 10 to fret 13, 10 notes across 4 strings, from E♭♭ on the E string at fret 10 up to A♭ on the G string at fret 13. The root falls on the A string at fret 11 and the G string at fret 13.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 10, 11, 13 | E♭♭, E♭, F |
| 3 (A) | 11 | A♭ |
| 2 (D) | 10, 12, 13 | C, E♭♭, E♭ |
| 1 (G) | 10, 11, 13 | F, G♭, A♭ |
Why it sounds like that
A♭ Hungarian major lowers the second degree of A♭ acoustic to C♭. Compare it to A♭ acoustic to hear the half-step shift. Intervals run 1, ♭3, 3, ♭5, 5, 6, ♭7, creating a major-minor hybrid. The ♭3 and 3 sit side by side, giving the scale its characteristic bite.
When to use it
Use it over A♭ major or A♭ minor chords when you want a sharp, exotic color. The ♭5 adds tension over the tonic, and the ♭7 suits dominant sounds. Try it in fusion or progressive rock. See A♭ major and A♭ minor.
Which position to practise
Practise Box 1 first. It covers frets 1–4 and keeps the root on string 4, fret 4, making it easy to anchor phrases.
Common questions
Which notes make A♭ Hungarian major different from A♭ major?
A♭ Hungarian major has a ♭3 and ♭5 instead of the natural 3 and perfect 5. The ♭3 is C♭ and the ♭5 is E♭♭. These alterations give the scale its dark, exotic character. It is also spelled G♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
Can I play A♭ Hungarian major over an A♭ minor chord?
Yes, the ♭3 fits the minor quality, but the major 3 adds dissonance. Use it briefly for color. The ♭5 also clashes with the perfect fifth in the chord.
What chords work with A♭ Hungarian major?
The tonic chord can be A♭ major or A♭ minor. The scale also fits over C♭ major, C♭ minor, and C diminished. The ♭5 degree suggests a 7♭5 chord on E♭♭.