STRINGSCALES

B messiaen's mode #6 Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, E#, F##, G##, A#, B, C#, D#, E at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12

A string: G##, A#, B, C#, D#, E, E#, F##, G## at frets 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12

D string: D#, E, E#, F##, G##, A#, B, C# at frets 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11

G string: F##, G##, A#, B, C#, D#, E, E#, F## at frets 0, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12

B string: B, C#, D#, E, E#, F##, G##, A#, B at frets 0, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12

High E string: E, E#, F##, G##, A#, B, C#, D#, E at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12

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B messiaen's mode #6

Messiaen's mode 6 is an eight note mode of limited transposition: whole, whole, half, half, repeated twice, repeating at the tritone. It merges whole tone motion with chromatic braking points, so lines glide and then suddenly snag. Like all these modes its transpositions are limited (six here), which is exactly what gives music built on it its circling, suspended quality.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

B

I

C♯

II

D♯

III

E

IV

E♯

#IV

F𝄪

#V

G𝄪

#VI

A♯

VII

messiaen's mode #6 in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • The cell is whole-whole-half-half twice per octave starting from B: whole tone gliding that keeps snagging on chromatic brakes.
  • It repeats at the tritone (six transpositions); build phrases that answer themselves six frets away.
  • Alternate whole-step slides with half-step resolutions to dramatize the two interval characters inside one line.
  • Both the natural 4th (E) and raised 4th (F) are present: rock them against each other over a root pedal on B.

How to play B messiaen's mode #6 on guitar

Open B string is a root, which puts a drone right in the middle of the set. Both E strings add a perfect fourth, so five open strings are usable and one of them anchors the key. Fretted roots start at 2 on the A string, then 4 on the G, 7 on both E strings and 9 on the D. Capo 2 recovers the A fingering.

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