G# Hungarian Major Guitar Scale
Guitar scale in 8-string tuning — fretboard diagram
G# Hungarian Major in 8-string — Notes and Intervals
The G# Hungarian Major scale is a heptatonic scale that provides an Eastern European dominant sound. On Guitar, the notes are G#, B, C, D, D#, F, F#. It offers a unique, exotic brightness that is excellent for adding cultural character to a composition. Commonly used in Classical, Eastern European Folk, Film Scores. Notable players include Bela Bartok, Zoltan Kodaly. Use over dominant chords in Eastern European folk contexts. Adds cultural character to compositions.
Notes: G#, B, C, D, D#, F, F#
Intervals: 1P, 2A, 3M, 4A, 5P, 6M, 7m
Degrees: 1 #2 3 #4 5 6 b7
Formula: WH-H-W-H-W-H-W
Number of notes: 7
Tuning: 8-string (F#-B-E-A-D-G-B-E)
About 8-string Tuning
The 8-string guitar adds both a low B and a low F# string (F#-B-E-A-D-G-B-E), pushing the instrument's range almost into bass guitar territory. This massive tonal range has become the weapon of choice for djent, progressive metal, and experimental composers who need bone-crushing low-end and soaring highs in a single instrument.
With artists like Tosin Abasi, Meshuggah, and After the Burial leading the charge, the 8-string guitar has redefined what's possible in modern heavy music. The low F# string delivers subsonic heaviness that you can feel in your chest, while the upper strings maintain standard guitar voicings for leads and clean passages. Extended-range compositions often exploit the full span of the instrument, creating a wall of sound that covers bass, rhythm, and lead guitar roles simultaneously.
Notable artists: Meshuggah, Animals as Leaders, After the Burial, Intervals, Monuments
Best for: Djent polyrhythms, extended-range metal riffs, experimental compositions, and one-instrument arrangements spanning bass to lead
Musical Character
A major scale with both a #4 (Lydian) and b7 (Mixolydian) plus an added b3 — creating an Eastern European dominant color unlike any standard Western mode.