Guitar scale · pentatonic & blues
F Hirajoshi Scale
Japanese five-note scale 1 2 ♭3 5 ♭6 (the common form; sources define it in different ways).
Tap any note to hear it.
F Hirajoshi Scale tab: all 5 positions
Each tab climbs from the low E string to the high e string. Play it up, then back down.
e|-------------------1-3-4-| B|---------------1-2-------| G|-------------1-----------| D|-----------3-------------| A|-------3-4---------------| E|-1-3-4-------------------|
e|---------------------3-4-| B|-------------------6-----| G|---------------5-6-------| D|---------3-5-6-----------| A|-----3-4-----------------| E|-3-4---------------------|
e|-----------------8-| B|-------------6-8---| G|---------5-6-------| D|-----5-6-----------| A|---8---------------| E|-8-----------------|
e|--------------------------8-9-| B|----------------------8-9-----| G|-------------------10---------| D|-------------10-11------------| A|-----8-10-11------------------| E|-8-9--------------------------|
e|----------------------------13-| B|-------------------------13----| G|----------------10-12-13-------| D|----------10-11----------------| A|----10-11----------------------| E|-13----------------------------|
How to play F Hirajoshi on guitar
Find the root first: F is at fret 1 on the low E string and fret 8 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every F on the neck; the gold ones are the rest of the scale's home chord (♭3, 5), the safest notes to land on at the end of a phrase.
Learn it one box at a time. Position 1, the E shape, sits at frets 1–4. Once it's under your fingers, move to position 2 (the D shape) and play the notes the two boxes share, then keep going up the neck. After all five, the scale joins up into one pattern across the whole fretboard.
Degrees
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | F |
| 2 | G |
| ♭3 | Ab |
| 5 | C |
| ♭6 | Db |
Fretwise · Free on iPhone & Android
Practise F Hirajoshi anywhere, even offline.
This page is a small slice of Fretwise. The app adds practice: exercises that play as tab, a new routine every day, and the tools to tune and keep time. On iPhone, iPad and Android, no sign-up.
Free
- 65 scales and 56 chord types in every key, with CAGED shapes
- A tuner with 10 tunings and a metronome from 30 to 260 BPM
- A new Daily 15 routine every day, plus free exercises
- Maqam & makam between the frets, and the Name the Note quiz
One purchase
- 282 exercises that play as tab, and routines with a speed trainer
- Chord & Scale Finder: tap the neck, get the name
- Theory Lab and the Progression Builder with 51 genre loops
- No subscription, ads removed
Questions
- What notes are in the F Hirajoshi Scale?
- The F Hirajoshi Scale has 5 notes: F, G, Ab, C, Db.
- What is the formula of the hirajoshi scale?
- 1 2 ♭3 5 ♭6, which is the step pattern W H 4 H 4 (W = whole step, H = half step).
- Where do I play F Hirajoshi on the guitar?
- The root F is at fret 1 on the low E string and fret 8 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 1–4, and four more positions connect it up the neck.