Guitar scale · pentatonic & blues
G 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.
G 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|-------------------3-5-6-| B|---------------3-4-------| G|-------------3-----------| D|-----------5-------------| A|-------5-6---------------| E|-3-5-6-------------------|
e|---------------------5-6-| B|-------------------8-----| G|---------------7-8-------| D|---------5-7-8-----------| A|-----5-6-----------------| E|-5-6---------------------|
e|--------------------10-| B|---------------8-10----| G|-----------7-8---------| D|-------7-8-------------| A|----10-----------------| E|-10--------------------|
e|-------------------------------10-11-| B|-------------------------10-11-------| G|----------------------12-------------| D|----------------12-13----------------| A|-------10-12-13----------------------| E|-10-11-------------------------------|
e|----------------------------15-| B|-------------------------15----| G|----------------12-14-15-------| D|----------12-13----------------| A|----12-13----------------------| E|-15----------------------------|
How to play G Hirajoshi on guitar
Find the root first: G is at fret 3 on the low E string and fret 10 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every G 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 3–6. 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 | G |
| 2 | A |
| ♭3 | Bb |
| 5 | D |
| ♭6 | Eb |
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Questions
- What notes are in the G Hirajoshi Scale?
- The G Hirajoshi Scale has 5 notes: G, A, Bb, D, Eb.
- 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 G Hirajoshi on the guitar?
- The root G is at fret 3 on the low E string and fret 10 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 3–6, and four more positions connect it up the neck.