Introduction

A Hungarian Minor Scale on piano — A, B, C, D#, E, F, G#, A — The A Hungarian Minor Scale shown on a piano keyboard: A, B, C, D#, E, F, G#, A.

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

D♯G♯

Parallel and Relative Keys

Every hungarian minor scale has two close cousins. The parallel key shares the same root note but flips the mode (major ↔ minor). The relative key shares the exact same notes and key signature, but starts on a different tonic — three semitones up. Both relationships matter for songwriting: borrowing chords from the parallel key adds emotional color, and pivoting to the relative key is a smooth way to change the mood of a section without changing keys on paper.

Parallel key: A Major Scale — same root note (A), opposite mode. The third, sixth, and seventh degrees shift by a half-step. See also the A Major Chord.

Relative key: C Major Scale — same key signature, different tonic. A Hungarian Minor and C Major use the same seven notes; the difference is which note feels like “home.” See also the C Major Chord.

Diatonic Chords in the A Hungarian Minor Scale

These are the triads built on each degree of the A Hungarian Minor Scale:

i — A Minor (minor)

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 A Hungarian Minor Scale?

The A Hungarian Minor Scale contains seven notes: A – B – C – D# – E – F – G#. The notes table above shows each note with its scale degree and interval from the root.

How many sharps or flats does A Hungarian Minor have?

The A Hungarian Minor Scale shares the key signature of its relative major, C Major — no sharps or flats. The remaining alterations are written as accidentals: D♯, G♯.

What is the relative major of A Hungarian Minor?

The relative major of A Hungarian Minor is C 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 A Hungarian Minor?

The seven diatonic chords in the key of A Hungarian Minor are: i – A Minor, ii° – B Diminished, III – C Major, iv – D Minor, v – E Minor, VI – F Major, VII – G Major. A classic progression in A Hungarian Minor is i – VI – iv – v (A Minor → F Major → D Minor → E Minor).

What is the parallel major of A Hungarian Minor?

The parallel major of A Hungarian Minor is A 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 A Hungarian Minor Scale sound like?

The A 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.

Explore More

Hungarian Minor Scale in Other Keys

C C#Db D D#Eb E F F#Gb G G#Ab A#Bb B Cb

Chords in the Key of A

iA Minor ii°B Diminished IIIC Major ivD Minor vE Minor VIF Major VIIG Major

Browse all Hungarian Minor Scales →All A Scales →Learn about minor scales →

Related Lessons

Keep going with the Hungarian Minor scale — these pages cover the underlying theory, the connected reference material, and the practice tools that work with this scale.

Theory

Reference

References & Further Reading

How this scale page is sourced & verified

The note names, intervals, fingering, and harmony on this page are drawn from the established body of Western music theory and verified against the conventions below — the same fundamentals taught in conservatories and music programs. We list categories of source material rather than individual titles, and reference the standards themselves rather than any single edition.

Standard music theory texts — Widely taught fundamentals of pitch, rhythm, and notation.
Western tonal harmony conventions — Established rules for chord construction, voice leading, and key relationships.
Interval and chord construction standards — The conventional spelling of intervals, triads, sevenths, and extensions.
Scale and mode theory — The common derivation of major, minor, pentatonic, blues, and modal scales.
Piano pedagogy and technique references — Long-standing practices for fingering, hand position, and practice.

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A Hungarian Minor Scale

Practice A Hungarian Minor Scale