If you are looking to play a different guitar sound, that exotic sound of Ancient Egypt and Desert Sahara check this presentation. This presentation includes videos that might not work on this website. I recommend you to download it and view it on your PC/Tab or Check the link to the Youtube video here https://youtu.be/nnTNcSR-kJ0 I will show you a few positions to get started playing the most popular Arabic scale, Maqam Hijaz. If you are familiar with tab reading or basic knowledge about guitar, you can play tasty Arabic melodies real quick. For more arabic guitar please check my website www.arabicguitar.net Hope you enjoy this and find it useful Share if you like.

3. Arabic Guitar Scales
Hijaz Positions

5. For Whom?
• Guitar players with passion for exotic, new or unusual scales.
• Guitar players who feel stuck in a certain sound looking to explore new places.
• Guitar players with basic knowledge of notes, strings and frets.
• Guitar players with passion for improvisation and soloing.
• Guitar players with tight time for practice seeking condensed info.
• Guitar players who are looking for a solid base to expand upon afterwards.

6. A bit of history you could skip!
• In this post I will show you a few positions you can use to play the
"Egyptian scale" to cover the entire guitar fretboard.
• Before you start objection about the name :) , let me tell you quickly
that no one knows exactly the origin of this musical scale.
• All recorded history shows that it has been widely used in the Middle
East region and surrounding areas.

7. A bit more info.
• It has been used (sometimes abused as a cliché) in
music score for films about the ancient Egyptian
civilization or the Pharaohs beside films about famous
legends like Aladdin, Ali Baba and others.
• Other names indicate related and other roots. like
Hijaz, Phrygian Major, Phrygian Dominant, Gypsy
Phrygian, Spanish Phrygian..etc

8. Scale diagrams
I will assume that you are starting from a point with basic experience of string
names, fret numbers, note names and tab reading.
In this presentation I will show you a few positions you can play starting from the
lowest position to the octave at fret 12.

9. Scale diagrams
Like tabs, scale diagrams show you the guitar fretboard from a flipped viewpoint
similar to the one seen by the player when holding the guitar.
The string at the bottom is the low E and the one on top is the high E. Strings are in
standard tuning EADGBE

10. How to use?
First look at the scale diagram and focus on the position you want to play then
locate the root notes E highlighted in dark blue
As you see in the scale diagram shown below, one position is highlighted in two
colors. Each color shows you the frets with the notes to play in one octave from E
to E.

11. How to use?
Both octaves when connected will allow you to cover a position in 2 octaves with a
variety of root note places.
Use those root notes as your life saver as you play, whenever you are not sure,
hesitant or feeling a bit lost you can always go back to those notes safely.

12. Simply..
• Know from which root you are starting (Fret number on what string)
• Watch the video
• Look at the scale diagram
• Check the highlighted octave.
• Enjoy your practice 

13. Fret 0
Low E

14. Fret 2
D String

15. Fret 7
A String

16. Fret 9
G String

17. Fret 12
Low E

18. Link on Youtube
If you prefer you can watch the video on Youtube

19. Looking for licks?
Once you get familiar with Hijaz positions you can take the
next level by playing some tasty original licks with strong
Arabic Hijaz flavor.
Check my mini course at www.arabicguitar.net
15 original Hijaz licks in video and audio
3 different tempos (Slow – Medium – Fast)
Guitar pro and standard tabs
Scale diagrams
Drones and backing tracks
Check a sample on Youtube here
Or Get it Now here www.arabicguitar.net