Hirajoshi Scale Piano Reference With Notes & Intervals

🎹 The Hirajōshi scale is a Japanese 5-note scale, a type of pentatonic scale, that has been adapted from Shamisen music. The Hirajōshi scale is also known under the names Hirachōshi, Hira-choshi and Kata-kumoi. The scale has been adopted in the west by some rock and jazz guitarists for a more exotic sound.

Here you'll find an interactive piano reference for the Hirajōshi scale with notes on the piano keyboard, intervals and scale formula.

Hirajoshi Scale Intervals

The intervals of the Hirajoshi scale are:

• Root/Prime (1P)
• Major 2nd (2M)
• Minor 3rd (3m)
• Perfect 5th (5P)
• Minor 6th (6m)

Hirajoshi Scale Formula

The formula for the Hirajoshi scale is: W, h, 4 steps, h, 4 steps

W: Whole step, h: Half step (semitone)

Hirajoshi Scales Note Chart

	C	D	E♭	G	A♭	C
	C♯	D♯	E	G♯	A	C♯
	D	E	F	A	B♭	D
	D♯	F	F♯	A♯	B	D♯
	E	F♯	G	B	C	E
	F	G	A♭	C	D♭	F
	F♯	G♯	A	C♯	D	F♯
	G	A	B♭	D	E♭	G
	G♯	A♯	B	D♯	E	G♯
	A	B	C	E	F	A
	A♯	C	C♯	F	F♯	A♯
	B	C♯	D	F♯	G	B

And now here are interactive piano keyboard layouts, one for each key, where you can hear the Hirajoshi scales being played up and down:

C Hirajoshi Scale

notes: C D E_♭ G A_♭

C♯ Hirajoshi Scale

notes: C^♯ D^♯ E G^♯ A

D Hirajoshi Scale

notes: D E F A B_♭

D♯ Hirajoshi Scale

notes: D^♯ F F^♯ A^♯ B

E Hirajoshi Scale

notes: E F^♯ G B C

F Hirajoshi Scale

notes: F G A_♭ C D_♭

F♯ Hirajoshi Scale

notes: F^♯ G^♯ A C^♯ D

G Hirajoshi Scale

notes: G A B_♭ D E_♭

G♯ Hirajoshi Scale

notes: G^♯ A^♯ B D^♯ E

A Hirajoshi Scale

notes: A B C E F

A♯ Hirajoshi Scale

notes: A^♯ C C^♯ F F^♯

B Hirajoshi Scale

notes: B C^♯ D F^♯ G