Chord Colors

F Double Harmonic Major scale

About the F Double Harmonic Major scale

F 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 F Harmonic Major with the second lowered.

Its notes are F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. The formula is H 1½ H W H 1½ H.

Also called Byzantine and Bhairav.

Learn more about the F Double Harmonic Major scale

Three of the notes in F Double Harmonic Major are black keys, G, B, and D.

Notes and intervals

1FFRoot
2GbG♭Minor 2nd
3AAMajor 3rd
4BbB♭Perfect 4th
5CCPerfect 5th
6DbD♭Minor 6th
7EEMajor 7th
StepsH 1½ H W H 1½ H
Semitones1-3-1-2-1-3-1
Degrees1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Fingering

Suggested fingering, follows standard fingering rules

Hand FG flatAB flatCD flatEF
Right hand12341234
Left hand54321321

Shapes

Chromatic

CC♯D♭DD♯E♭EFF♯G♭GG♯A♭AA♯B♭B

Circle of Fifths

CGDAEBF♯G♭C♯D♭G♯A♭D♯E♭A♯B♭F

Related scales

Double Harmonic Major in other keys

Modes

The same notes, starting on a different note.

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F Double Harmonic Major scale on piano shown as colored note dots
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