Japanese Hirojoshi (aka: Hirajoshi) and Kumoi Scales and Riffs Live Stream Resources

This blog entry contains the resources used in putting together the live stream that covered the scales Hirojoshi (sometimes spelled Hirajoshi) and Kumoi.

Video Demonstrations of Ten Japanese Riffs

Hirojoshi (aka: Hirajoshi) Scale Guitar Riffs

Kumoi Guitar Scale Riffs

The Difference Between Kumoi and Hirojoshi

The Kumoi Scale has the following intervals = 1, 2, b3, 5 and 6
The Hirojoshi Scale has the following intervals = 1, 2, b3, 5 and b6

The only difference between these two scales is that the Kumoi has a natural 6, and the Hirojoshi has a flat 6.

People Naming the Scales Incorrectly

If you go by what the Guitar Grimmoire says, and a few websites, the intervals I listed above are correct.

In this video, the Hirojoshi scale is demonstrated, but the teacher calls it the Kumoi scale instead: www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDXOCNq9UH4

Here's that lesson on Guitar World's website: www.guitarworld.com/what-world-kumoi-japanese-scale-tab-and-video
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If you look at the comment left at the bottom of the lesson, someone states that the Hirojoshi scale is indeed being used, and not the Kumoi.

Even wikipedia has the Hirajoshi scale listing notes/intervals that are actually the Kumoi scale, according to the Grimmoire.

Oli Herbert of All That Remains does a lesson for Guitar World on the Hirajoshi scale, and uses the same intervals that the Grimmoire does. www.guitarworld.com/lessons/investigating-hirajoshi-scale

Here's another site that has the intervals for Hirojoshi the same as the Grimmoire (although it begins on the 2nd instead of the first): www.pianoscales.org/hirajoshi.html

Scale Name Sources

The following links are websites I used in gathering information for the live stream this blog entry is based on.

• Wikepedia Japanese Scale Names - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_musical_scales
• Japanese Mode - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_mode - W H W+W H W+W = A B C D E F
  • www.all-guitar-chords.com/guitar_scales.php?qqq=12&scch=E&scchnam=Japanese+%28in+sen%29&get2=Get&t=0&choice=1
• Akebono Scale - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akebono_scale
  • i.pinimg.com/originals/64/3d/40/643d40b95c108e57569156cfd521ba16.jpg = G G# C D Eb G
  • cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1597/6205/products/AkebonoScale.jpg?v=1509821665 = E F A B C
  • www.kalimbamagic.com/tipoftheday/tip_assets/8Note-Akebono.jpg = D Eb G Ab C
• Hirajoshi Scale - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiraj%C5%8Dshi_scale = C E F# G B (same as Kumoi starting on note 2) and C Db F Gb Bb (same as previous) and C D Eb G Ab (same as Kumoi)
  • Hirajoshi 
    ​www.all-guitar-chords.com/guitar_scales.php?qqq=8&scch=C&scchnam=Hirajoshi&get2=Get&t=0&choice=1 (same as Japanese mode and Grimmoire)
  • Hirajoshi 2
    www.all-guitar-chords.com/guitar_scales.php?qqq=8&scch=C&scchnam=Hirajoshi&get2=Get&t=0&choice=1 (same as Akebono Scale)
• In Scale - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_scale = D Eb G A Bb (same as Akebono scale - 3rd example same notes)
• Insen Scale - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insen_scale = D Eb G A C (2nd mode or scale shape of the Kumoi Scale in Grimmoire)
• Iwato Scale - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iwato_scale = 2nd mode/scale shape of the Hirajoshi Scale
• Ritsu and Ryo Scales - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritsu_and_ryo_scales
  • Ristu = D E G A B (5th pentatonic shape) other example is listed a whole step down
  • Ryo = D E F# A B (2nd pentatonic shape aka: Major pentatonic)
• Yo Scale - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yo_scale = same as Ryo
  • Same website has minyo scale listed, and is your first pentatonic shape
• Chinese Scales - webbrain.com/attach?brain=FE9A3947-848E-CA05-DFC5-E32D9FD16A6D&attach=93&type=1 = Your 5 Pentatonic scales.

Here is the Archived Live Stream Guitar Lesson