The way he laid it out is actually pretty simple to understand. If this lesson is confusing, you have skipped some vital steps in learning your music theory. You should look up how chords are made from scales and how intervals are assigned. It'll make your head explode at first, but keep reading about it until it makes sense. Some basics, triads are made from the 1, the 3 and 5 intervals of a scale. Since the scale is C, D, Eb, F#, G, Ab and B. The first chord is C, Eb and G.
@sinfuldavy0, Because the notes of this scale are on an Ancient Egyptian flute which (when played in a descending order) is supposed to be a representation of the ideal ancient Egyptian afterlife. In Ancient Egypt, the deceased were placed in four individual containers called canopic jars with these flutes. Each note of the Egyptian scale when coming /played together creates the personality, called the Ka.
This scale is most commonly called "Hungarian minor" (at least around Europe). In spoken language, players usually refers to this as a "gypsy minor" (listen Django, and you´ll see why). But yes, this scale has a many names. Completely useless to argue what to call it. I think the most interesting thing in this scale, is that there is that chromatic movement - it gives you a lot of possibilities to make interesting chord progressions and gives you good passages to a different key.
No problem; happy explorations. The cool thing is once you harmonize unusual scales, or harmonize familiar ones in unusual intervals, you will have a vocabulary which is quite different from the average player. Just be careful not to hurt your hands with some of the more difficult voicings you might come across.
@ankitrajmasihyoutub1 Like Andrew says, you build triads by stacking every other note: Chord 1: Root, third, fifth. Chord 2: Second, fourth, sixth. Chord 3: Third, fifth, seventh. Chord 4: Fourth, Sixth, Eighth (the eighth tone is the same as the root but one octave higher). Chord 5: Fifth, Seventh, Ninth (same as second but one octave higher). Chord 6: Sixth, Eighth, Tenth. Chord 7: Seventh, Ninth, Eleventh. Chord 8: Eighth, Tenth, Twelfth. Get to know your fretboard to figure out the shapes.
mrtalkative91 remember the notes in the scale are the same notes in the chords, if your first chord note is D on the 2nd then find Eb, F#,G,Ab,B,C in a chord formation :)
"Simhendramadhyamam" (harmonic minor with augmented 4th). It was first conceived in India, not Egypt. Persian / Armenian. My gypsy friend famous in South-east Asia around 1400 BC
@emmetwhitey The "2" means to include the second note of the F# scale, which is G#. The "b5" means to flat the fifth note of the F# scale, that makes C# to C. So F#sus2b5 is essentially F#sus and add the G# and C notes on your chord.
Awesome lesson - covers all the bases and most importantly the harmony which a lot of people seem to overlook in favour of shapes. One I shall be watching again later :)
To make your next chord, the 2 chord. You treat the 2nd note of the scale as a 1. Then make a chord out of 1, 3, and 5 or D, F# and Ab. You just repeat that pattern going up the scale to get all 7 key chords of the scale. That's where those chords came from that he played. I really should make a video explaining all of this. This is the foundation of any good musician.
each chord which contains the notes of the scale, in this case ;for example, root is C, so Cm fits( the scale contains the notes C Eb and G wich builds a Cm), try building chords from the notes(3 and 4 notes :) ) and learn which chords go with the scale (learn the essence of the chord - root minor, root minor maj7(Cm(maj7)), third major....) hope you got it !
the scale consists of the root, 9, #9, #11, 5, b13, natural 7th. With the two half steps, the #11 to 5, and the natural 7th to the root...this implies a double harmonic minor tonality. the progression C- | Eb+ | D#11 | Ab G | shows the minor major quality of c minor (double harmonic minor major), and then major 9#11 to the #11 chord progression can be performed using the minor 7b5 scale or the diminished W-H scale....all these can be superimposed scales over the egyptian tonality....
Egyptians don't just play one scale all their lives. Their music, like most Arabic music, uses Maqamat (or singular Maqam) as what you would now call scales. There are different ones that convey different moods. Some of them can only be played with a fretless or micro-tone guitar. But screw it, it sounds Egyptian so why not.
Typically you just stack thirds upon each other to create chords from a scale. So in the case of this scale the I chord would contain the notes C, Eb and G. That is a normal C minor chord. So you basically take each other note of the scale and you get the chord. If you want to make it a 7th chord you just add another note on top, as said a third from the last note. So we would have C, Eb, G and B. Not quite sure about the name for this chord, but i would call it a "C minor major 7th" chord.
+mrtalkative91 always harmonize a scale to learn where and how to use it. If you wish contact me I'd tell you how that's done, it's very simple really. doomfan12345 yes is a fender strat but looks like the bridge and neck pups are railed humbuckers. +Ezra Dewayne Anderson Hungarian minor ;), the V mode known as "Double harmonic" is the interesting one. :)
If you know Natural minor: 4 > 4# and b7 > 7 then you have the Egypt scale. If you know Harmonic minor: 4 > 4# then you have the Egypt scale. I've always thought Harmonic minor sounds exotic, I'd like to think of the Egypt scale as an altered Harmonic minor.
the triads will be built off the notes in the scale. The F# is the 4th degree, skip to the 3rd of that, which is Ab, and finally the C a fifth above that. so yo end up with F# Ab C. F# to Ab is a diminished 3rd, which is really just a whole step, so you have the sus2 sound instead of a major or minor structure. The C at the top of that triad is 6 half steps above the tonic, instead of 7, making it a b5. Therefore, sus2b5. The theory you got only works in major. Won't work on other scales.
Not exactly. A hungarian minor scale is the 4th mode of a double harmonic major scale which has the same notes as the 1st mode of a harmonic minor scale. However, if you sharp the 4th (tritone, instead of perfect 4th), you will get this scale.
lol, of course they're related music change all the time, because people change all the time, you don't have to be a wise man to figure that out. But if you want to discuss music history, do it somewhere else, don't try to start an argument in the comment section. Thank you, i hope you aren't taking it the wrong way.
If you take the 2nd mode of this scale, starting on the D, you get a cool scale that might be played over a D7 featuring a b2 and a #11. Anyone using it over a D7?
Do exactly what he does here; harmonize it. You just make chords out of the notes in the scale. That's all there is to it. If you want to go deeper than he does here, try harmonizing it in intervals other than 3rds, including combinations of different intervals, eg: root,4th, 2nd, etc. Nothing to it, except drilling the shapes once you map them out.
Hi all, need some help here. my theory is very basic. as far as I know, on a scale, let us take a C major scale for example where the notes are C,D,E,F,G,A,B, The 1st, 3rd and 5th notes become major chords and the 6th which is A becomes the relative minor. B becomes a diminished chord. Why wasnt this applied on the Egyptian scale. Using what i think I know, the progression should have been C, F# and G as major chords and Ab as the relative minor but No. Andrew used Cm, F#sus2b5 and G. Why?
Wow, Andrew is SO knowledgeable. I really wish that I were able to form the chords from the notes within a scale and just KNOW it. Not there yet. It's just beautiful to watch a master do it though. They make it look so easy. Mush respect to Andrew.
it's very good, i'm doing a little piece with the arabian schale, and i play mixing arabian and others, it sounds good. when i finish it i will put it on youtube. (i'm from spain, my english is not very good i know xD )
thanks, bro for the info but I am still in the dark. do you recommend any website where there are detailed lessons on chord construction using exotic scales.
I don't see why it's called the Egyptian scale (other than variants of the harmonic minor generally sounding middle-eastern). It's a carnatic rāgam called "Simhendramadhyamam" (harmonic minor with augmented 4th). It was first conceived in India, not Egypt. So please stop berating this guy for questioning it's name.
The legend of Tarot cards go's that they were brought out of "Egypt" by "Gypsies" (notice the similar spelling). I can't help but to further the coincidence by suggesting that this scale is also known as the Hungarian Gypsy (correct me if I'm wrong). I should also infer that many use the Phrygian Dominant to sound Egyptian. Does that make them less accurate or rather more generic? However, to me this aka Hungarian Gypsy sounds more medieval mystic (ala Young Frankenstien) than Phrygian Dominant.
how do you know which chords to apply for a particular scale? in this case, the egyptian! ok, so you know the notes, but how to know the specific chord (ex. F sharp sus2 flat 5) that sounds good for the scale? if you understand me :D
![Writing Exotic Music with Phrygian Dominant- 5th mode of Harmonic Minor [MUSIC THEORY - SCALES]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/aCZezZf9bi0/mqdefault.jpg)
THIS IS A VERY,VERY INCREDIBLE VIDEO.. IT AUTOMATICALLY MAKES ME THINK OF MR.MARTY FRIEDMAN.. YOU ARE A PHENOMENAL GUITARIST..
The way he laid it out is actually pretty simple to understand. If this lesson is confusing, you have skipped some vital steps in learning your music theory. You should look up how chords are made from scales and how intervals are assigned. It'll make your head explode at first, but keep reading about it until it makes sense. Some basics, triads are made from the 1, the 3 and 5 intervals of a scale. Since the scale is C, D, Eb, F#, G, Ab and B. The first chord is C, Eb and G.
I used to watch his videos when I initially learning. Great stuff. 😊
His approach is concise and moves along nicely.
@sinfuldavy0,
Because the notes of this scale are on an Ancient Egyptian flute which (when played in a descending order) is supposed to be a representation of the ideal ancient Egyptian afterlife. In Ancient Egypt, the deceased were placed in four individual containers called canopic jars with these flutes. Each note of the Egyptian scale when coming /played together creates the personality, called the Ka.
This is the most beautiful scale I've ever heard in my life.
Thank you for this detailed explanation, I really did not know what question should be asked...
If you figure out Misrlou (Pulp Fiction theme) then you've pretty much got the scale nailed :)
Super helpful
Glad to hear!
The chord progression sounds very jazzy.
You're a great teacher.
Such simple and yet enlightening advice. Thanks Andrew!
This scale is most commonly called "Hungarian minor" (at least around Europe). In spoken language, players usually refers to this as a "gypsy minor" (listen Django, and you´ll see why). But yes, this scale has a many names. Completely useless to argue what to call it. I think the most interesting thing in this scale, is that there is that chromatic movement - it gives you a lot of possibilities to make interesting chord progressions and gives you good passages to a different key.
it's called Hijaz Maqam !!
No problem; happy explorations. The cool thing is once you harmonize unusual scales, or harmonize familiar ones in unusual intervals, you will have a vocabulary which is quite different from the average player. Just be careful not to hurt your hands with some of the more difficult voicings you might come across.
Great lesson, Gus in Germany will be well pleased with that, as am I. Thank you
I do find the same thing with the Harmonic minor sounding exotic. And the technical name for the Egyptian scale would just be Hungarian Minor.
How do you know where to stack the notes to create the chords?
@ankitrajmasihyoutub1 Like Andrew says, you build triads by stacking every other note: Chord 1: Root, third, fifth. Chord 2: Second, fourth, sixth. Chord 3: Third, fifth, seventh. Chord 4: Fourth, Sixth, Eighth (the eighth tone is the same as the root but one octave higher). Chord 5: Fifth, Seventh, Ninth (same as second but one octave higher). Chord 6: Sixth, Eighth, Tenth. Chord 7: Seventh, Ninth, Eleventh. Chord 8: Eighth, Tenth, Twelfth. Get to know your fretboard to figure out the shapes.
mrtalkative91 remember the notes in the scale are the same notes in the chords, if your first chord note is D on the 2nd then find Eb, F#,G,Ab,B,C in a chord formation :)
"Simhendramadhyamam" (harmonic minor with augmented 4th). It was first conceived in India, not Egypt.
Persian / Armenian. My gypsy friend
famous in South-east Asia around 1400 BC
This scale is so emotional, just playing it at equal intervals. Imagine if you put some melodic patterns on that !
this is also dango reinhart lick known as the hungarian gypsy scale sorry about spelling
@emmetwhitey The "2" means to include the second note of the F# scale, which is G#. The "b5" means to flat the fifth note of the F# scale, that makes C# to C. So F#sus2b5 is essentially F#sus and add the G# and C notes on your chord.
Awesome lesson - covers all the bases and most importantly the harmony which a lot of people seem to overlook in favour of shapes. One I shall be watching again later :)
To make your next chord, the 2 chord. You treat the 2nd note of the scale as a 1. Then make a chord out of 1, 3, and 5 or D, F# and Ab. You just repeat that pattern going up the scale to get all 7 key chords of the scale. That's where those chords came from that he played. I really should make a video explaining all of this. This is the foundation of any good musician.
each chord which contains the notes of the scale, in this case ;for example, root is C, so Cm fits( the scale contains the notes C Eb and G wich builds a Cm), try building chords from the notes(3 and 4 notes :) ) and learn which chords go with the scale (learn the essence of the chord - root minor, root minor maj7(Cm(maj7)), third major....) hope you got it !
the scale consists of the root, 9, #9, #11, 5, b13, natural 7th. With the two half steps, the #11 to 5, and the natural 7th to the root...this implies a double harmonic minor tonality.
the progression C- | Eb+ | D#11 | Ab G | shows the minor major quality of c minor (double harmonic minor major), and then major 9#11 to the #11 chord progression can be performed using the minor 7b5 scale or the diminished W-H scale....all these can be superimposed scales over the egyptian tonality....
Reminds me of Radiohead a little bit
Egyptians don't just play one scale all their lives. Their music, like most Arabic music, uses Maqamat (or singular Maqam) as what you would now call scales. There are different ones that convey different moods. Some of them can only be played with a fretless or micro-tone guitar. But screw it, it sounds Egyptian so why not.
Typically you just stack thirds upon each other to create chords from a scale. So in the case of this scale the I chord would contain the notes C, Eb and G. That is a normal C minor chord. So you basically take each other note of the scale and you get the chord.
If you want to make it a 7th chord you just add another note on top, as said a third from the last note. So we would have C, Eb, G and B. Not quite sure about the name for this chord, but i would call it a "C minor major 7th" chord.
Andrew you are just awesome.
One way I like to think of this scale as is being in the key of Cminor, and it has some interesting non-diatonic chords. So, I like that.
Great scale. I like to use it for metal and acoustic arrangements.
+mrtalkative91 always harmonize a scale to learn where and how to use it. If you wish contact me I'd tell you how that's done, it's very simple really.
doomfan12345 yes is a fender strat but looks like the bridge and neck pups are railed humbuckers.
+Ezra Dewayne Anderson Hungarian minor ;), the V mode known as "Double harmonic" is the interesting one. :)
Correct, AKA "Hungarian Minor" to some people. I doubt there's any genuine connection with Egypt but of course I might be wrong...
this scale is the scale django reinhardt would often use, its also known as the gypsy scale-listen to minor swing by him ;)
If you know Natural minor: 4 > 4# and b7 > 7 then you have the Egypt scale.
If you know Harmonic minor: 4 > 4# then you have the Egypt scale.
I've always thought Harmonic minor sounds exotic,
I'd like to think of the Egypt scale as an altered Harmonic minor.
the triads will be built off the notes in the scale. The F# is the 4th degree, skip to the 3rd of that, which is Ab, and finally the C a fifth above that. so yo end up with F# Ab C. F# to Ab is a diminished 3rd, which is really just a whole step, so you have the sus2 sound instead of a major or minor structure. The C at the top of that triad is 6 half steps above the tonic, instead of 7, making it a b5. Therefore, sus2b5.
The theory you got only works in major. Won't work on other scales.
thank you, Andrew, great explanation !...
Thank you andrew!
Good lesson!
this is great! very helpful, you're a great teacher, thanks for posting
Very clear and helpful, thanks.
i used to play that scale in my guitarclass in highschool and i thought it was something i made up....
Wow! Thakns really well explained! Would love to see more videos like these!
thanks great lesson!
Great video, very informative and theoretical. Keep em coming!
The second I heard this scale I was like "I need to know this".
I will, thanks!
Cool Bill Lawrence pickups
Not exactly. A hungarian minor scale is the 4th mode of a double harmonic major scale which has the same notes as the 1st mode of a harmonic minor scale. However, if you sharp the 4th (tritone, instead of perfect 4th), you will get this scale.
in the west we know this as a C Hungarian Minor scale. flat 3rd and 6th with an augmented 4th.
lol, of course they're related music change all the time, because people change all the time, you don't have to be a wise man to figure that out. But if you want to discuss music history, do it somewhere else, don't try to start an argument in the comment section. Thank you, i hope you aren't taking it the wrong way.
Good video. Very easy to follow, and it's good to see some great guitar playing.
If you take the 2nd mode of this scale, starting on the D, you get a cool scale that might be played over a D7 featuring a b2 and a #11. Anyone using it over a D7?
Do exactly what he does here; harmonize it. You just make chords out of the notes in the scale. That's all there is to it. If you want to go deeper than he does here, try harmonizing it in intervals other than 3rds, including combinations of different intervals, eg: root,4th, 2nd, etc. Nothing to it, except drilling the shapes once you map them out.
A harmonic minor scale is pretty much a Natural Minor scale, but the seventh is raised.
Great approach! Thx man.
Hi all, need some help here. my theory is very basic. as far as I know, on a scale, let us take a C major scale for example where the notes are C,D,E,F,G,A,B, The 1st, 3rd and 5th notes become major chords and the 6th which is A becomes the relative minor. B becomes a diminished chord. Why wasnt this applied on the Egyptian scale. Using what i think I know, the progression should have been C, F# and G as major chords and Ab as the relative minor but No. Andrew used Cm, F#sus2b5 and G. Why?
brutal technical egyptian death metal at its finest
Thanks!
3:15 The third triad is an Eb Augmented not an E Augmented. I'm surprised no observant person pointed that out in the comments section!
Thanks man.
nice to see wll educated men here on internet....
It can also be called the Hungarian Minor scale or the Gypsy Minor scale.
Thanks , I forgot about building triads out of the scales
can you please go through how you constructed those chords in detail....?
Wow, Andrew is SO knowledgeable. I really wish that I were able to form the chords from the notes within a scale and just KNOW it. Not there yet. It's just beautiful to watch a master do it though. They make it look so easy. Mush respect to Andrew.
His guitar sounds beautiful, is a fender strat or another brand?
a demo please!!!
Excellent
oh, ok I think I get it! tnx!
Thank you I learned a lot.
With a changed root. That's the most important part.
Song for the intro?
if you want Egyptian scale, you need to know about quarter tones and check ( maqamat ) ...ur welcome.
it's very good, i'm doing a little piece with the arabian schale, and i play mixing arabian and others, it sounds good. when i finish it i will put it on youtube.
(i'm from spain, my english is not very good i know xD )
Hello andrew we call this as simhendra madhyama in carnatic music...........what you played in the beginning.......................
It sure as hell does.
Totally true, by the way.
very good video
fucking love the intro
and this scale is called hijaz-kar :D
thanks, bro for the info but I am still in the dark. do you recommend any website where there are detailed lessons on chord construction using exotic scales.
It's easier to see it like the 4th mode of the harmonic minor
I don't see why it's called the Egyptian scale (other than variants of the harmonic minor generally sounding middle-eastern). It's a carnatic rāgam called "Simhendramadhyamam" (harmonic minor with augmented 4th). It was first conceived in India, not Egypt. So please stop berating this guy for questioning it's name.
awesome
your the man
The legend of Tarot cards go's that they were brought out of "Egypt" by "Gypsies" (notice the similar spelling). I can't help but to further the coincidence by suggesting that this scale is also known as the Hungarian Gypsy (correct me if I'm wrong). I should also infer that many use the Phrygian Dominant to sound Egyptian. Does that make them less accurate or rather more generic? However, to me this aka Hungarian Gypsy sounds more medieval mystic (ala Young Frankenstien) than Phrygian Dominant.
thats called double harmonic minor.. used a lot in metal music
how do you know which chords to apply for a particular scale? in this case, the egyptian! ok, so you know the notes, but how to know the specific chord (ex. F sharp sus2 flat 5) that sounds good for the scale? if you understand me :D
This scale is also considered to be the Hungarian Minor Scale.
It sounds Egyptian damnit.
@guitarblogupdate Is Egyptian scales Related To Harmonic Minor scales???
I'm so shit at guitar and this guy just lets me know it
Its addicting.
Did you learn it though?
Hey awesome video! Compliments!