STRINGSCALES

C messiaen's mode #7 Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: F, F#, G, Ab, A, B, C, Db, D, Eb at frets 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

A string: A, B, C, Db, D, Eb, F, F#, G, Ab, A at frets 0, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

D string: D, Eb, F, F#, G, Ab, A, B, C, Db, D at frets 0, 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12

G string: G, Ab, A, B, C, Db, D, Eb, F, F#, G at frets 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12

B string: B, C, Db, D, Eb, F, F#, G, Ab, A, B at frets 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12

High E string: F, F#, G, Ab, A, B, C, Db, D, Eb at frets 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

Pick a root note

Pick a scale

C messiaen's mode #7

Messiaen's mode 7 is the largest mode of limited transposition: ten notes, leaving out just one whole-step pair per tritone half. It is nearly chromatic, with symmetry at the tritone and only six distinct transpositions. In practice it works as organized chromaticism: dense clusters and runs that still obey an internal pattern rather than free atonality.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

C

I

D♭

bII

D

II

E♭

bIII

F

IV

F♯

#IV

G

V

A♭

bVI

A

VI

B

VII

messiaen's mode #7 in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • Ten notes from C: think of it as the chromatic scale with one whole-step gap per tritone half; the gaps define it, so phrase around them.
  • Its symmetry at the tritone (Gb) gives structure to near-chromatic runs: mirror each gesture six frets away.
  • Use it as organized chromaticism for climaxes: scale-wise motion reads as intent where free chromatics read as noise.
  • Extract subsets: any five adjacent tones give a dense cluster scale; contrast two subsets from opposite tritone halves.

How to play C messiaen's mode #7 on guitar

Open A, D, G, and B all live in this key, a major sixth, major second, perfect fifth, and major seventh above C, so any of them can drone under your lines. Symmetry hands you a twin: the identical fingering serves Gb messiaen's mode #7, six semitones up, which means one box covers two tonics. Fretted roots sit at fret 8 on both E strings, fret 3 on the A string, and fret 1 on the B string. Position work ends at fret 12.

homeall scalesaboutfaqpricingmicrotonalterms & conditionsprivacy policycookie policy© 2026 StringScales. All rights reserved.