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B egyptian Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, F#, A, B, C#, E at frets 0, 2, 5, 7, 9, 12

A string: A, B, C#, E, F#, A at frets 0, 2, 4, 7, 9, 12

D string: E, F#, A, B, C# at frets 2, 4, 7, 9, 11

G string: A, B, C#, E, F# at frets 2, 4, 6, 9, 11

B string: B, C#, E, F#, A, B at frets 0, 2, 5, 7, 10, 12

High E string: E, F#, A, B, C#, E at frets 0, 2, 5, 7, 9, 12

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B egyptian

The egyptian scale is the suspended pentatonic: root, 2nd, 4th, 5th, flat 7th. It is the minor pentatonic rotated to start on its 4th... with no 3rd anywhere, it commits to neither major nor minor, evoking the open, ancient sound film composers reach for. Over a sus7 chord or a bare fifth drone it sits perfectly.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

B

I

C♯

II

E

IV

F♯

V

A

bVII

Same notes, different mode

B egyptian 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.

C# malkos ragaE ritusenF# minor pentatonicA major pentatonic

egyptian in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • A rotation of the minor pentatonic with no 3rd at all: suspended, ancient-sounding, and safe over both major and minor chords on B.
  • Build riffs on the 2nd (C#) and 4th (E) around the root; those two notes are the scale's identity.
  • Over a sus7 vamp, use bVII (A) to II leaps for the wide-open film-score color.
  • Same notes as the minor pentatonic a 5th above B: relearn nothing, just re-center your phrases.

How to play B egyptian on guitar

Open B is the tonic and the E strings give the fourth above it, so a pedal built on open strings holds. Four of the six ring in key. Lowest root is fret 7 on the sixth string, which puts the E-shape barre in the middle of the neck. Two sharps in the signature, box one gives way at fret 11, and a capo at fret 2 turns the grips into A shapes.

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