G Hungarian Minor Bass Scale
Bass scale — fretboard diagram
G Hungarian Minor Scale — Notes and Intervals
The G Hungarian Minor scale, also known as the Gypsy Minor, is famous for its two wide melodic gaps. On Bass, its notes are G, A, Bb, C#, D, Eb, F#. It sounds powerful, mysterious, and perfectly balanced, frequently appearing in classical masterworks and modern melodic metal. Commonly used in Classical, Metal, Klezmer, Film Scores, Gypsy Jazz. Notable players include Franz Liszt, Yngwie Malmsteen, Marty Friedman, Django Reinhardt. Use over m chords in gypsy jazz and neoclassical metal. Works beautifully over i-V progressions in minor keys.
Notes: G, A, Bb, C#, D, Eb, F#
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3m, 4A, 5P, 6m, 7M
Degrees: 1 2 b3 #4 5 b6 7
Formula: W-H-WH-H-H-WH-H
Number of notes: 7
How to Play G Hungarian Minor on Bass
On bass, locate G on the E string at fret 3. Use a one-finger-per-fret approach starting from the root and span two to three strings. Keep your fretting hand relaxed and practice shifting between positions cleanly.
The G Hungarian Minor scale contains both sharps and flats (2 sharps, 2 flats), which is common in altered and exotic scales. Its relative major is Bb major, which shares the same key signature.
Practice Routine
Set a metronome to 80 BPM and play the G Hungarian Minor scale in groups of four notes, shifting the starting note each repetition. This builds muscle memory across the entire scale range. After a week, try improvising short 4-bar phrases using only these notes.
Experiment with simple two-chord vamps rooted on G to let the characteristic intervals of the Hungarian Minor scale come through clearly.
Bass Tips
Practice the G Hungarian Minor scale on bass using only your index and ring fingers for a two-finger-per-string approach, then switch to one-finger-per-fret. Both techniques are essential for different musical situations.
The G Hungarian Minor scale contains 7 notes (G, A, Bb, C#, D, Eb, F#). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Bass with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for G Hungarian Minor
The G Hungarian Minor scale can be played in 5 CAGED positions across the fretboard, each based on an open chord shape (C, A, G, E, D). As a 7-note scale, it also lends itself to 3-notes-per-string (3NPS) patterns that facilitate legato playing and diagonal shifting. Use the pattern selector above to isolate each position.