What Is the Hijaz Scale?
The augmented second — the signature of Middle Eastern music
Hijaz (also spelled Hejaz or Hicaz) is one of the most important maqamat (modal scales) in Arabic, Turkish, and Persian musical traditions. Named after the Hijaz region on the western coast of the Arabian Peninsula — home to Mecca and Medina — the scale has been central to Islamic devotional music, classical Arabic art music, and folk traditions across the Middle East and Mediterranean for over a millennium.
The scale's defining feature is its augmented second interval — a gap of three semitones — between the 2nd and 3rd degrees: D♭ and E in this C-rooted version. This interval (D♭ → E = 3 semitones) is larger than a whole step (2 semitones) and smaller than a minor third (3 semitones in classical Western theory — though technically equivalent). Western classical music largely avoided augmented seconds as "exotic" or "forbidden"; Middle Eastern music made them its signature sound.
On the tongue drum, the Hijaz scale contains all 8 notes across a single octave (C4 to C5): C, D♭, E, F, G, A♭, B, C. The tension between D♭ (low, dark) and E (bright, raised) creates the scale's unmistakable quality — passionate, yearning, and cinematic.
Cultural Origin
A thousand years of Middle Eastern music
Maqam Hijaz is found across an extraordinary range of musical traditions. In Arabic classical music, it underpins centuries of composed and improvised pieces. In Turkish classical music (makam Hicaz), it is one of the most commonly used modes. In Spanish flamenco, the Phrygian dominant scale — equivalent to Hijaz — is the backbone of the most passionate cante jondo styles.
The scale also appears prominently in Sephardic Jewish music (as part of the freygish mode), Greek rebetiko, Balkan folk music, and klezmer. Whenever you hear that instantly recognizable "Middle Eastern" or "Moorish" sound in Western popular culture — film scores, video games, commercials — it almost always uses Hijaz or a closely related mode.
The scale's cross-cultural reach reflects the historical Silk Road trade routes that carried music eastward from Arabia through Persia to Central Asia, and westward through North Africa to Spain.
Sound Character
Exotic, dramatic, and deeply passionate
Of all the scales available on Tongue Drum Online, Hijaz is the most immediately arresting. Within a single phrase, the augmented second between D♭ and E creates an emotional jolt — a sense of yearning, drama, and transport to another world. It is difficult to play Hijaz on a tongue drum and not feel immediately transported.
The scale has a bittersweet quality: the D♭ pulls downward toward C; the B pulls upward toward C; and the E creates brightness in the middle of the scale. These three "active" tones create a scale full of internal tension that resolves beautifully to C.
Compared to Akebono's quiet mystery or Pentatonic's serene openness, Hijaz is the most outwardly emotional scale — passionate rather than meditative, cinematic rather than ambient.
Scale Structure
Intervals and degrees
| Degree | Note | Interval from Root |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | C | Root (unison) |
| ♭2nd | D♭ | Minor 2nd (1 semitone) |
| 3rd | E | Major 3rd (4 semitones) ★ |
| 4th | F | Perfect 4th (5 semitones) |
| 5th | G | Perfect 5th (7 semitones) |
| ♭6th | A♭ | Minor 6th (8 semitones) |
| 7th | B | Major 7th (11 semitones) |
★ The D♭→E augmented second (3 semitones) is the defining interval of the Hijaz sound.
How to Play
Unlocking the Hijaz character
- The D♭–E leap is the heart of the scale — use it deliberately for maximum impact
- Start phrases on C or G for a grounded, stable foundation
- The B natural (leading tone) creates strong pull toward C — end phrases there
- Try the pattern: C → D♭ → E → F → E → D♭ → C for a classic Hijaz phrase
- Use A♭ as a color tone — approach from G below or B above
- Faster tempos bring out Hijaz's passionate, dance-like energy
- Slower tempos reveal its meditative, devotional side
Applications
Where Hijaz excels
The Hijaz scale is extraordinarily versatile despite its exotic character. On a tongue drum it works particularly well for:
- Film and video game music: Instant Middle Eastern or Mediterranean atmosphere
- Improvisation performances: The scale's built-in drama makes every phrase compelling
- Meditation with depth: Slower tempos reveal a devotional, introspective quality
- Cross-cultural fusion: Blends surprisingly well with electronic beats and ambient textures
- Beginners seeking character: Though more complex than pentatonic, Hijaz's strong identity makes even simple patterns sound intentional