The Hijaz scale, is related to different instruments, compositions and cultures.
This is a “middle-eastern sounding” scale, known as a “Turkish Scale”. A scale is also calle a “Maqam”. There is a 1.5 tone interval from the second to the third degree.
Many have asked me how to play Hijaz on Accordion This I will explain soon also here on youtube and also on special free courses and live events I do via my site – www.gypsyaccordion.com
Check out the improvisation I am demonstrating here in this link
The actual scale is straight forward and doesn’t change much a part from the special quarter tones effects I can create on a half tone instrument (Ask me how, it’s a long answer – maybe later) but what you hear is a Sephardic / Ladino style improvisation. you can see me play the full original composition
This sounds very old fashioned Jewish, it’s from the 14th century.
The word Sephardic means “From Spain”
The Jewish who came there in the 13th century used to call it the Island of Rabbits.
It used to be full of rabbits, in Hebrew: Shephan – that’s how the name “Spain” came about. Pretty cool information huh?
