the gypsy scale

[Noodlehoss]

Does anybody use this one?...I would like to work it into Minor Swing. I know the harmonic minor (R 2 -3 4 5 -6 7) and Spanish/Jewish (R -2 3 4 5 -6 -7) are of a similar flavor...what notes are in the gypsy scale?

[Ted Eschliman]

Maybe this well help:
A little Gypsy...

[mandofiddle]

Wow, all those times I thought I was hitting wrong notes, I was really playing gypsy.

No, really, I'll be improvising on something and start throwing these gypsy scales in without even knowing what they are aside from the fact that they sound good in context. It's nice to know what I'm doing now

[Ted Eschliman]

Dave, you bring up an excellent point...
We have to remember that in theory, the music came first, the labels second.
It's great to have that label to get your arms around a musical concept, but ultimately, it's what comes out of your fingers. I maintain the best route to "educating" yourself is fingers-ears-brain.
Get it into your hands, your ears will hear it. Get it into your ears, and your brain can slap a label on it without sliding off.

[mandocrucian]

The scale is called "freygish" by the klezmer players. #It's also used throughout the middle east and is called "hijaz", although to be really accurate, the 2nd is a quarter-tone interval (between the b2 and 2). The b6 and b7 are also neutrals (between b6 and 6th, b7 and 7th) when ascending, but b6 and b7 when descending. Much easier to get on fretless instruments such as the oud or fiddle.


Modes Made Easy

NH

try alternating the seventh note on your way up to the one play it a half step below, on your way down play the seventh a whole step from the one... and vice versa, but stay to one of them otherwise it just sounds crazy.
for minor swing i like to just use straight up A minor personaly once in a while lil harmonic minor