Exotic
Hungarian Minor Scale
Also called the Double Harmonic Minor. Has two augmented 2nd intervals, creating an intensely exotic and dramatic sound.
Hear the Hungarian Minor Scale
How to Identify It
Two augmented 2nds make this unmistakably exotic — more dramatic than Phrygian Dominant. Used in Eastern European folk music and romantic orchestral writing.
Famous Examples
- Hungarian folk music — Bartók compositions
- Liszt Hungarian Rhapsodies
- Film scores for Eastern European settings
Hungarian Minor in All 12 Keys
Often Confused With
About the Hungarian Minor Scale
The hungarian minor scale is a exotic scale built from the interval pattern 2, 1, 3, 1, 1, 3, 1 (in whole and half steps). Also called the Double Harmonic Minor. Has two augmented 2nd intervals, creating an intensely exotic and dramatic sound.
To recognise the hungarian minor scale reliably by ear, focus on its characteristic mood — exotic, dramatic, Eastern European, intense. Use the player above to hear it in all 12 keys, and the recognition trainer to test yourself against a mixed set of scales.