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|-------------------2-4-5-| B|---------------2-3-------| G|-------------2-----------| D|-----------4-------------| A|-------4-5---------------| E|-2-4-5-------------------|
e|---------------------4-5-| B|-------------------7-----| G|---------------6-7-------| D|---------4-6-7-----------| A|-----4-5-----------------| E|-4-5---------------------|
e|-----------------9-| B|-------------7-9---| G|---------6-7-------| D|-----6-7-----------| A|---9---------------| E|-9-----------------|
e|----------------------------9-10-| B|-----------------------9-10------| G|--------------------11-----------| D|--------------11-12--------------| A|------9-11-12--------------------| E|-9-10----------------------------|
e|----------------------------14-| B|-------------------------14----| G|----------------11-13-14-------| D|----------11-12----------------| A|----11-12----------------------| E|-14----------------------------|
How to play F# Hirajoshi on guitar
Find the root first: F# is at fret 2 on the low E string and fret 9 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 2–5. 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 | A |
| 5 | C# |
| ♭6 | D |
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Practise F# Hirajoshi anywhere, even offline.
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Questions
- What notes are in the F# Hirajoshi Scale?
- The F# Hirajoshi Scale has 5 notes: F#, G#, A, C#, D.
- 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 2 on the low E string and fret 9 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 2–5, and four more positions connect it up the neck.