STRINGSCALES

C vietnamese 1 Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: F, G, Ab, C, Eb at frets 1, 3, 4, 8, 11

A string: C, Eb, F, G, Ab at frets 3, 6, 8, 10, 11

D string: Eb, F, G, Ab, C at frets 1, 3, 5, 6, 10

G string: G, Ab, C, Eb, F, G at frets 0, 1, 5, 8, 10, 12

B string: C, Eb, F, G, Ab at frets 1, 4, 6, 8, 9

High E string: F, G, Ab, C, Eb at frets 1, 3, 4, 8, 11

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C 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:

C

I

E♭

bIII

F

IV

G

V

A♭

bVI

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

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

How to play C vietnamese 1 on guitar

Open G rings the perfect fifth above C, so one unfretted string can hold under the whole shape. Roots wait on the B string at the 1st fret and two frets up on the A string, which lets the A-shape barre cover the lowest boxes. Both E strings take a root at the 8th. Five tones per octave leave wide spacing, and the first shape survives to the 12th fret.

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