Guitar scale · pentatonic & blues
E 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.
E 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|-------------------0-2-3-| B|---------------0-1-------| G|-------------0-----------| D|-----------2-------------| A|-------2-3---------------| E|-0-2-3-------------------|
e|---------------------2-3-| B|-------------------5-----| G|---------------4-5-------| D|---------2-4-5-----------| A|-----2-3-----------------| E|-2-3---------------------|
e|-----------------7-| B|-------------5-7---| G|---------4-5-------| D|-----4-5-----------| A|---7---------------| E|-7-----------------|
e|-----------------------7-8-| B|-------------------7-8-----| G|-----------------9---------| D|------------9-10-----------| A|-----7-9-10----------------| E|-7-8-----------------------|
e|-------------------------12-| B|----------------------12----| G|--------------9-11-12-------| D|---------9-10---------------| A|----9-10--------------------| E|-12-------------------------|
How to play E Hirajoshi on guitar
Find the root first: E is at fret 0 on the low E string and fret 7 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every E 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 0–3. 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 | E |
| 2 | F# |
| ♭3 | G |
| 5 | B |
| ♭6 | C |
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Practise E Hirajoshi anywhere, even offline.
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Questions
- What notes are in the E Hirajoshi Scale?
- The E Hirajoshi Scale has 5 notes: E, F#, G, B, C.
- 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 E Hirajoshi on the guitar?
- The root E is at fret 0 on the low E string and fret 7 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 0–3, and four more positions connect it up the neck.