25 Exotic Scales On Guitar – Charts, Easy Diagrams And Audio

This guitar lesson lists 25 exotic scales from different cultures and countries to add new colors to your playing. You’ll find two-octave guitar shapes, formula charts, audio files in the key of C for each scale and classified into five main categories : Seven Note Dominant Scales, Seven Note Minor Scales, Seven Note Major Scales, Six Note Scales and Five Note Scales.

Seven Notes (major)

This chapter lists three major exotic scales made of seven notes : Byzantine, Enigmatic, Persian. Here the formula charts, guitar neck diagrams and audio clips.

The Byzantine scale is better known as double harmonic major and sometimes referred to as Flamenco mode or Major Romani. The formula is 1 (tonic), b2 (minor second), 3 (major third), 4 (perfect fourth), 5 (perfect fifth), b6 (minor sixth), 7 (major seventh). Exotic Scales

The Neapolitan major scale, despite is name, is a minor scale built with: 1 (tonic), b2 (minor second), b3 (minor second), 4 (perfect fourth), 5 (perfect fifth), 6 (sixth) and 7 (seventh). The main difference with the Minor Neapolitan scale is the sixth which is major. Exotic Scales

The Hungarian minor scale or double harmonic minor or Gypsy minor is the fourth mode of the double harmonic scale. It is spelled 1 (root), 2 (second), b3 (minor third), #4 (augmented fourth), 5 (perfect fourth), b6 (minor sixth) and major seventh (7). Notice that it is built the same as the harmonic minor scale but with an augmented fourth instead of a natural fourth. Exotic Scales

Seven Notes (Dominant)

This chapter is dedicated to dominant scales made of seven notes that are : Overtone, Hindu, Romanian Major, Hungarian Major, Spanish Gipsy, Arabian, Asian. Here are the formula charts and shapes. Exotic Scales

The Overtone scale is a synthetic scale also known as Acoustic or Lydian dominant, fourth mode of the melodic minor scale. The formula is 1 (tonic), 2 (second), 3 (third) , #4 (augmented fourth), 5 (perfect fifth), 6 (sixth) and b7 (minor seventh).

The Hindu scale is sometimes referred to as Aeolian Dominant, Mixolydian b6 and Major-Minor actually the fifth mode of the melodic minor scale. The formula is tonic (1), second (2), third (3), perfect fourth (4), perfect fifth (5), minor sixth (b6) and minor seventh (b7).

The Romanian Major scale is spelled out : 1 (tonic), b2 (minor second), 3 (major third), #4 (augmented fourth), 5 (perfect fifth), 6 (sixth), b7 (minor seventh). It is also called Lydian Dominant Flat 2. It can be used on dominant 7 chords to add tension.

Despite its name, the Hungarian Major scale is a dominant scale. The only difference with the Romanian Major Scale discussed above is the sharp second giving the following formula : 1 (tonic), #2 (augmented second), 3 (major third), #4 (augmented fourth), 5 (perfect fifth), 6 (major sixth), b7 (minor seventh).

The Spanish Gipsy scale is also called Phrygian major, Mixolydian b2 b6, Altered Phrygian, dominant flat 2 flat 6, Spanish Gitan, Harmonic Major Inverse or Jewish scale. This is actually the fifth mode of the harmonic minor scale better known as Phrygian Dominant. The formula is 1 (tonic), b2 (minor second), 3 (major third), 4 (perfect fourth), 5 (perfect fifth), b6 (minor sixth), b7 (minor seventh).

The Arabian scale is also named Major Locrian. The formula is 1 (tonic), 2 (second), 3 (third), 4 (perfect fourth), b5 (diminished fifth), b6 (minor sixth) and minor seventh (b7). You can use it over 7b5b13 chords.

The Asian scale is sometimes referred to as Oriental or Minor Romani Inversed. The formula is 1 (tonic), b2 (minor second), 3 (major third), 4 (fourth), b5 (diminished fifth), 6 (major sixth), and b7 (minor seventh).

Six Notes

The next section covers exotic 6 note scales, the Prometheus scale and the Rattus scale :

The Prometheus scale is also know as Mystic scale or Scriabin’s Prometheus scale, with reference to musical pieces by Alexander Scriabin, a Russian composer. This scale is composed of 1 (tonic), 2 (second), 3 (major third), #4 (augmented fourth), 6 (major sixth) and b7 (minor seventh). It can be used over 7#11 and 7b5 chords.

The Ritsu scale or Ritsu Okapi is a minor Japanese scale made of six notes 1 (tonic), b2 (minor second), b3 (minor third), 4 (perfect fourth), b6 (minor sixth) and b7 (minor seventh).

Five Note Scales (pentatonic)

This last section covers the main five note exotic scales that are : the Insen Scale, Iwato, Scottish, Han-Kumoï, Hon-Kumoi-joshi, Egyptian, Hirajoshi, Balinese Pelog and Mongolian.

The In Sen scale, or Insen, or Kokin-joshi is a suspended scale from Japan built of : 1 (tonic), b2 (minor second), 4 (pefect fourth), 5 (perfect fifth) and b7 (minor seventh).

The Iwato scale can be seen as the Locrian mode (seven mode of the major scale) without the b3 and the b6 giving the formula 1 (tonic), b2 (minor second), 4 (fourth), b5 (diminished fifth) and b7 (minor seventh).

The Scottish pentatonic is a suspended scale made of 1 (tonic), 2 (second), 4 (perfect fourth), 5 (perfect fifth) and 6 (major sixth). It also referred to as Ritusen scale actually the fourth mode of the major pentatonic scale.

The Han-Kumoï aka Japanese scale is a suspended pentatonic scale built of : 1 (tonic), 2 (second), 4 (perfect fourth), 5 (perfect fifth), b6 (minor sixth).

The Hon-Kumoi-joshi scale aka Sakura or Akenobo 2 is a suspended Japanese scale built of 1 (tonic), b2 (minor second), 4 (fourth), 5 (perfect fifth) – b6 (minor sixth).

The Egyptian scale is better known as suspended pentatonic scale, second mode of the major pentatonic scale. The formula is 1 (tonic), 2 (second), 4 (perfect fourth), 5 (perfect fifth) and b7 (minor seventh).

The Hirajoshi Scale is actually the Aeolian Pentatonic scale. This is a minor pentatonic scale spelled 1 (tonic), 2 (second), b3 (minor third), 5 (perfect fifth), b6 (minor sixth).

The Balinese Pelog scale is an Indonesian minor pentatonic scale constructed with : 1 (tonic), b2 (minor second), b3 (minor third), 5 (perfect fifth) and b6 (minor sixth).

The last of the series, the Mongolian pentatonic scale which is made of 1 (tonic), 2 (second), 3 (major third), 5 (perfect fifth), 6 (major sixth). It is actually built the same as the major pentatonic scale.

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