STRINGSCALES

C enigmatic Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, Gb, Ab, Bb, B, C, Db, E at frets 0, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12

A string: Bb, B, C, Db, E, Gb, Ab at frets 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 11

D string: E, Gb, Ab, Bb, B, C, Db at frets 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11

G string: Ab, Bb, B, C, Db, E, Gb at frets 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11

B string: B, C, Db, E, Gb, Ab, Bb, B at frets 0, 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12

High E string: E, Gb, Ab, Bb, B, C, Db, E at frets 0, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12

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C enigmatic

The enigmatic scale is Verdi's scala enigmatica, reportedly composed as a harmonization challenge: root, flat 2nd, major 3rd, flat 5th, flat 6th, flat 7th, major 7th. It opens with a half step, walks a whole tone stretch, then crams two leading tones at the top. Verdi harmonized an Ave Maria with it; it remains a puzzle box that rewards through-composed writing over improvisation.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

C

I+

Caug
D♭

bII

G♭maj/Db
E

III

Emaj
G♭

bV

G♭majb5
A♭

bVI

B♭

bVII

C7no5/B♭
B

VII

Bsus2

enigmatic in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • Verdi wrote the scala enigmatica as a harmonization puzzle: treat C enigmatic as through-composed material, not a jam scale.
  • The bottom is a half step, the middle is whole tone (III to b5 (Gb) to b6 (Ab) to b7 (Bb)), the top stacks two leading tones; phrase those three zones separately.
  • Both the flat 7th (Bb) and major 7th (B) resolve to C; approach the root twice, once from each, to state the scale's oddity.
  • Harmonize a slow chorale in it, one chord per scale tone, and let the strange voice leading be the piece.

How to play C enigmatic on guitar

Both E strings and the B string fall in scale, but as the major third and major seventh, so they colour a line rather than anchor one. Root nearest the nut is at the 1st fret of the B string, and fret 3 on the A carries the A-shape barre. Lowest root is fret 8 on the low E. Box one from there ends at fret 12, meaning the next shape owns the 12th-fret inlay.

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