Low E string: Fb, G, Ab, Bbb, Cb, Db, Eb, Fb at frets 0, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12
A string: Bbb, Cb, Db, Eb, Fb, G, Ab, Bbb at frets 0, 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12
D string: Eb, Fb, G, Ab, Bbb, Cb, Db at frets 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11
G string: G, Ab, Bbb, Cb, Db, Eb, Fb, G at frets 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12
B string: Cb, Db, Eb, Fb, G, Ab, Bbb, Cb at frets 0, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12
High E string: Fb, G, Ab, Bbb, Cb, Db, Eb, Fb at frets 0, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12
The balinese scale as catalogued here is a seven note set identical to the neapolitan minor scale: root, flat 2nd, flat 3rd, 4th, 5th, flat 6th, major 7th. The name nods to the pelog-flavored half steps around the root and 5th rather than to an actual gamelan tuning, which does not fit Western frets. Expect a dark minor sound with an unexpectedly bright leading tone.
it consists of these notes and degrees:
i
bII
bIII+
iv
V
bVI
VII
Same notes, different mode
Ab balinese uses the same notes as the scales below. Start from a different note and you get a new mode built on the very same note set.
How to play A♭ balinese on guitar
A capo on fret 1 rewrites the key as G, letting you reuse open-position shapes from there. Root nearest the nut is fret 1 on the G string, while the lowest root is 4 on the low E. Five open strings fall in the key, the D string being the only one outside it, so drop-in open notes are available almost anywhere. A lydian #6 reuses the same grip.
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