The Hungarian Gypsy Scale is a name given by different authorities to two different scale forms. The more commonly used of these scales is the fourth mode

Musical mode

In the theory of Western music since the ninth century, mode generally refers to a type of scale. This usage, still the most common in recent years, reflects a tradition dating to the middle ages, itself inspired by the theory of ancient Greek music.The word encompasses several additional...

 of the Double harmonic scale (also known as the Byzantine scale), it can be found by sharpening the 4th degree of the harmonic minor scale to introduce an additional gap

Steps and skips

In music, a step, or conjunct motion, is a linear or successive interval between two pitches which are consecutive scale degrees. Any larger interval is called a skip , or disjunct motion...

, or augmented second. This is a symmetrical scale and used in both Carnatic and Hindustani music. It is also found in Western Classical music, such as mm. 5-6 of Liszt's Sonata in B Minor. More recently, artists such as the Arctic Monkeys

Arctic Monkeys

Arctic Monkeys are an English indie rock band. Formed in 2002 in High Green, a suburb of Sheffield, the band currently consists of Alex Turner , Jamie Cook , Nick O'Malley and Matt Helders...

 have used it. The chorus in Metallica's "Master of Puppets" is in E Hungarian gypsy scale. The alternative version is the asymmetric scale, the Aeolian #4 scale. The term may also refer to the double harmonic scale.

Hungarian Gypsy scale may also be called or refer to the Neapolitan minor scale or the minor Gypsy scale.

Scale in corresponding keys

A Hungarian Gypsy:
A B C D# E F G/G#

C Hungarian Gypsy:
C D Eb F# G Ab Bb/B

E Hungarian Gypsy:
E F# G A# B C D/D#

The structure of this scale is (w = whole-step, h = half-step, + = augmented):
w - h - + - h - h - w/+
in semitones:
2 1 3 1 1 2/3

External links

• http://jguitar.com/scale/C%23/Hungarian%20Gypsy - Illustration of the scale on a guitar of Double Harmonic variety.
• http://www.power-chord.com/gaff/mapper/ - Illustration of the scale on a guitar of Aeolian #4 as Hungarian Gypsy.