About the C sharp Double Harmonic Major scale
C sharp Double Harmonic Major is used for Byzantine, Arabic and Middle Eastern music and dramatic film cues. Think of it as the Byzantine scale, two big steps and a stately, ancient sound. It is C♯ Harmonic Major with the second lowered.
Its notes are C♯, D, E♯, F♯, G♯, A, and B♯. The formula is H 1½ H W H 1½ H.
Also called Byzantine and Bhairav.
On the piano, C♯ Double Harmonic Major touches the black keys C♯, F♯, and G♯.
Notes and intervals
| 1 | C#C♯ | Root |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | DD | Minor 2nd |
| 3 | E#E♯ | Major 3rd |
| 4 | F#F♯ | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | G#G♯ | Perfect 5th |
| 6 | AA | Minor 6th |
| 7 | B#B♯ | Major 7th |
| Steps | H 1½ H W H 1½ H |
|---|---|
| Semitones | 1-3-1-2-1-3-1 |
| Degrees | 1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 7 |
Fingering
Suggested fingering, follows standard fingering rules
| Hand | C sharp | D | E sharp | F sharp | G sharp | A | B sharp | C sharp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Left hand | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Shapes
Chromatic
Circle of Fifths
Related scales
Double Harmonic Major in other keys
C Double Harmonic Major scaleD Double Harmonic Major scaleD sharp Double Harmonic Major scaleE Double Harmonic Major scaleF Double Harmonic Major scaleF sharp Double Harmonic Major scaleG Double Harmonic Major scaleG sharp Double Harmonic Major scaleA Double Harmonic Major scaleA sharp Double Harmonic Major scaleB Double Harmonic Major scale
Modes
The same notes, starting on a different note.