The A♭ Hungarian Minor scale contains seven notes: A♭, B♭, C♭, D, E♭, F♭, and G. It follows the whole-step / half-step pattern W-H-A2-H-H-A2-H.
A♭ Hungarian Minor Scale Notes
| Degree | Name | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | A♭ | P1 |
| 2 | Supertonic | B♭ | M2 |
| 3 | Mediant | C♭ | m3 |
| 4 | Subdominant | D | A4 |
| 5 | Dominant | E♭ | P5 |
| 6 | Submediant | F♭ | m6 |
| 7 | Leading Tone | G | M7 |
| 8 | Octave | A♭ | — |
Key Signature
The A♭ Hungarian Minor Scale doesn’t line up with a single major or minor key, so it has no standard key signature. Its notes are written with accidentals as needed.
Accidentals
A♭B♭C♭E♭F♭
Diatonic Chords in the A♭ Hungarian Minor Scale
These are the triads built on each degree of the A♭ Hungarian Minor Scale:
| Degree | Numeral | Chord | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | i | A♭ Minor | Minor |
| 2 | II | B♭ altered | altered |
| 3 | III+ | C♭ Augmented | Augmented |
| 4 | IV | D altered | altered |
| 5 | V | E♭ Major | Major |
| 6 | VI | F♭ Major | Major |
| 7 | vii | G Minor | Minor |
A♭ Hungarian Minor Scale — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the notes of the A♭ Hungarian Minor Scale on piano?
The A♭ Hungarian Minor Scale uses the notes A♭ – B♭ – C♭ – D – E♭ – F♭ – G – A♭. Play them in order from the root up to the octave, hands separately first, then together.
What notes are in the Ab Hungarian Minor Scale?
The Ab Hungarian Minor Scale contains seven notes: Ab – Bb – Cb – D – Eb – Fb – G. The notes table above shows each note with its scale degree and interval from the root.
How many sharps or flats does Ab Hungarian Minor have?
The Ab Hungarian Minor Scale shares the key signature of its relative major, Cb Major — 7 flats: B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭. The remaining alterations are written as accidentals: D♮, G♮.
What is the relative major of Ab Hungarian Minor?
The relative major of Ab Hungarian Minor is Cb Major. Both scales share the same key signature and the same seven notes — the difference is which note feels like "home." Switching between a minor key and its relative major is one of the most common ways composers shift mood without changing the underlying notes.
What chords are in the key of Ab Hungarian Minor?
The seven diatonic chords in the key of Ab Hungarian Minor are: i – Ab Minor, ii° – Bb Diminished, III – B Major, iv – Db Minor, v – Eb Minor, VI – E Major, VII – Gb Major. A classic progression in Ab Hungarian Minor is i – VI – iv – v (Ab Minor → E Major → Db Minor → Eb Minor).
What is the parallel major of Ab Hungarian Minor?
The parallel major of Ab Hungarian Minor is Ab Major. "Parallel" means same root note, opposite mode — the two scales differ by three notes (the third, sixth, and seventh are lowered in minor). Borrowing chords from the parallel key is a popular way to add color to a progression.
What does the Ab Hungarian Minor Scale sound like?
The Ab Hungarian Minor Scale has an exotic, Eastern-European sound built on two augmented seconds. Listen to the audio playback above to hear the character on every note.