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A vietnamese 1 Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, F, A, C, D, E at frets 0, 1, 5, 8, 10, 12

A string: A, C, D, E, F, A at frets 0, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12

D string: D, E, F, A, C, D at frets 0, 2, 3, 7, 10, 12

G string: A, C, D, E, F at frets 2, 5, 7, 9, 10

B string: C, D, E, F, A at frets 1, 3, 5, 6, 10

High E string: E, F, A, C, D, E at frets 0, 1, 5, 8, 10, 12

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A vietnamese 1

The vietnamese 1 scale is a five note minor-leaning set: root, flat 3rd, 4th, 5th, flat 6th. It is the minor pentatonic with the flat 6th in place of the flat 7th, and that single swap darkens the whole scale, the b6 always wanting to fall to the 5th. A distinctive alternative when minor pentatonic lines feel too familiar.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

A

I

C

bIII

D

IV

E

V

F

bVI

vietnamese 1 in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • Minor pentatonic with a b6 (F) instead of a b7 (G): the flat 6th (F) falling to the 5th (E) is the scale's built-in sigh.
  • Over a minor chord drone on A, sustain the b6 (F) with vibrato before resolving; that is the scale's emotional center.
  • The familiar box works with one moved finger: raise the top-string b7 (G) fret down... practice the swap until automatic.
  • Ornament like the đàn bầu: heavy bends and slides into b3 (C) and b6 (F) suit its origins better than fast runs.

How to play A vietnamese 1 on guitar

Open A is a root, the E pair gives the perfect fifth, and open D the perfect fourth, so four strings drone before a note gets fretted. All five tones are naturals, which lets you read the shape without a single accidental. Fretted roots also sit at the 2nd on the G string, the 5th across the E pair, and the 7th along the D string. Position one closes at the 9th.

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