Also written Byzantine
G gypsy major contains G, A♭, B, C, D, E♭, and F♯. Its Box 1 root on the 6th string, 3rd fret is a common position for rock and metal lines.
G gypsy major is G phrygian dominant with the ♭7 raised to a major 7th. The scale keeps the ♭2, major 3rd, and ♭6, but the leading tone F♯ replaces F. Compare it with G phrygian dominant to hear the difference. The tritone between A♭ and D and the augmented fifth from G to E♭ give the scale its tension.
G gypsy major fits G major and G 5th chords, especially in metal and flamenco. The ♭2 and ♭6 also work over G major progressions that borrow from phrygian. Use it for dramatic runs or cadences resolving to G.
Learn Box 1 first; its root on the 6th string, 3rd fret anchors the pattern and covers frets 3–6 for easy access to the ♭2 and major 7th.
G gypsy major in box 1 runs from fret 3 to fret 6, 14 notes across 6 strings, from G on the low E string at fret 3 up to A♭ on the high e string at fret 4. The root falls on the low E string at fret 3, the D string at fret 5 and the high e string at fret 3.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 3, 4 | G, A♭ |
| 5 (A) | 3, 5, 6 | C, D, E♭ |
| 4 (D) | 4, 5, 6 | F♯, G, A♭ |
| 3 (G) | 4, 5 | B, C |
| 2 (B) | 3, 4 | D, E♭ |
| 1 (e) | 3, 4 | G, A♭ |
G gypsy major in box 2 runs from fret 7 to fret 10, 15 notes across 6 strings, from B on the low E string at fret 7 up to D on the high e string at fret 10. The root falls on the A string at fret 10 and the B string at fret 8.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 7, 8, 10 | B, C, D |
| 5 (A) | 9, 10 | F♯, G |
| 4 (D) | 9, 10 | B, C |
| 3 (G) | 7, 8 | D, E♭ |
| 2 (B) | 7, 8, 9 | F♯, G, A♭ |
| 1 (e) | 7, 8, 10 | B, C, D |
G gypsy major in box 3 runs from fret 10 to fret 13, 14 notes across 6 strings, from D on the low E string at fret 10 up to E♭ on the high e string at fret 11. The root falls on the A string at fret 10 and the G string at fret 12.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 10, 11 | D, E♭ |
| 5 (A) | 10, 11 | G, A♭ |
| 4 (D) | 10, 12, 13 | C, D, E♭ |
| 3 (G) | 11, 12, 13 | F♯, G, A♭ |
| 2 (B) | 12, 13 | B, C |
| 1 (e) | 10, 11 | D, E♭ |
G gypsy major, position 1 of the three-notes-per-string shapes, starts on the 7 and runs from fret 1 to fret 7, three notes on each of 6 strings. The root falls on the low E string at fret 3, the D string at fret 5 and the high e string at fret 3.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 2, 3, 4 | F♯, G, A♭ |
| 5 (A) | 2, 3, 5 | B, C, D |
| 4 (D) | 1, 4, 5 | E♭, F♯, G |
| 3 (G) | 1, 4, 5 | A♭, B, C |
| 2 (B) | 3, 4, 7 | D, E♭, F♯ |
| 1 (e) | 3, 4, 7 | G, A♭, B |
G gypsy major, position 2 of the three-notes-per-string shapes, starts on the root and runs from fret 3 to fret 8, three notes on each of 6 strings. The root falls on the low E string at fret 3, the D string at fret 5 and the B string at fret 8.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 3, 4, 7 | G, A♭, B |
| 5 (A) | 3, 5, 6 | C, D, E♭ |
| 4 (D) | 4, 5, 6 | F♯, G, A♭ |
| 3 (G) | 4, 5, 7 | B, C, D |
| 2 (B) | 4, 7, 8 | E♭, F♯, G |
| 1 (e) | 4, 7, 8 | A♭, B, C |
G gypsy major, position 3 of the three-notes-per-string shapes, starts on the ♭2 and runs from fret 4 to fret 10, three notes on each of 6 strings. The root falls on the D string at fret 5 and the B string at fret 8.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 4, 7, 8 | A♭, B, C |
| 5 (A) | 5, 6, 9 | D, E♭, F♯ |
| 4 (D) | 5, 6, 9 | G, A♭, B |
| 3 (G) | 5, 7, 8 | C, D, E♭ |
| 2 (B) | 7, 8, 9 | F♯, G, A♭ |
| 1 (e) | 7, 8, 10 | B, C, D |
G gypsy major, position 4 of the three-notes-per-string shapes, starts on the 3 and runs from fret 6 to fret 12, three notes on each of 6 strings. The root falls on the A string at fret 10 and the B string at fret 8.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 7, 8, 10 | B, C, D |
| 5 (A) | 6, 9, 10 | E♭, F♯, G |
| 4 (D) | 6, 9, 10 | A♭, B, C |
| 3 (G) | 7, 8, 11 | D, E♭, F♯ |
| 2 (B) | 8, 9, 12 | G, A♭, B |
| 1 (e) | 8, 10, 11 | C, D, E♭ |
G gypsy major, position 5 of the three-notes-per-string shapes, starts on the 4 and runs from fret 8 to fret 14, three notes on each of 6 strings. The root falls on the A string at fret 10 and the G string at fret 12.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 8, 10, 11 | C, D, E♭ |
| 5 (A) | 9, 10, 11 | F♯, G, A♭ |
| 4 (D) | 9, 10, 12 | B, C, D |
| 3 (G) | 8, 11, 12 | E♭, F♯, G |
| 2 (B) | 9, 12, 13 | A♭, B, C |
| 1 (e) | 10, 11, 14 | D, E♭, F♯ |
G gypsy major, position 6 of the three-notes-per-string shapes, starts on the 5 and runs from fret 10 to fret 15, three notes on each of 6 strings. The root falls on the A string at fret 10, the G string at fret 12 and the high e string at fret 15.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 10, 11, 14 | D, E♭, F♯ |
| 5 (A) | 10, 11, 14 | G, A♭, B |
| 4 (D) | 10, 12, 13 | C, D, E♭ |
| 3 (G) | 11, 12, 13 | F♯, G, A♭ |
| 2 (B) | 12, 13, 15 | B, C, D |
| 1 (e) | 11, 14, 15 | E♭, F♯, G |
G gypsy major, position 7 of the three-notes-per-string shapes, starts on the ♭6 and runs from fret 11 to fret 16, three notes on each of 6 strings. The root falls on the low E string at fret 15, the G string at fret 12 and the high e string at fret 15.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 11, 14, 15 | E♭, F♯, G |
| 5 (A) | 11, 14, 15 | A♭, B, C |
| 4 (D) | 12, 13, 16 | D, E♭, F♯ |
| 3 (G) | 12, 13, 16 | G, A♭, B |
| 2 (B) | 13, 15, 16 | C, D, E♭ |
| 1 (e) | 14, 15, 16 | F♯, G, A♭ |
Every chord here uses only notes from the scale. Tap one to open it.
G gypsy major uses G, A♭, B, C, D, E♭, and F♯. The scale has a minor 2nd, major 3rd, perfect 4th, perfect 5th, augmented 5th, and major 7th. It is also called Byzantine.
G gypsy major works over G major and G 5th chords. The ♭2 and ♭6 create tension that resolves to the tonic. Try it over a G drone for a Middle Eastern sound.
G gypsy major raises the ♭7 of G phrygian dominant to a major 7th. This changes F to F♯, creating a leading tone. The rest of the scale remains the same.