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D♭ ichikosucho Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: F, Gb, Abb, Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb at frets 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11

A string: Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, Gb, Abb, Ab at frets 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11

D string: Eb, F, Gb, Abb, Ab, Bb, C, Db at frets 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11

G string: Abb, Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, Gb, Abb at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12

B string: C, Db, Eb, F, Gb, Abb, Ab, Bb at frets 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11

High E string: F, Gb, Abb, Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb at frets 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11

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Db ichikosucho

The ichikosucho scale is a major scale with an added flat 5th, eight notes catalogued from Japanese sources. The extra note bridges the 4th and 5th chromatically, letting otherwise plain major lines pivot briefly through a blues-tinged shadow. It behaves like a major scale with a built-in passing tone rather than an exotic mode.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

D♭

I

E♭

II

F

III

G♭

IV

A𝄫

bV

A♭

V

B♭

VI

C

VII

Same notes, different mode

Db ichikosucho 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.

Eb bebop minorAb bebopC bebop locrian

ichikosucho in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • Play Db ichikosucho as a major scale with a built-in blue note: the added flat 5th (G) bridges IV and V chromatically.
  • Use the b5 (G) in passing on upbeats, exactly like the blues scale treats it, while everything else stays diatonic major.
  • Try it over a I-IV change in Db: the b5 (G) doubles as the sharp 4th leading into the IV chord's major 3rd... wait for that resolution.
  • Contrast it with plain Db major in the same solo; the single extra note is more striking when it is rationed.

How to play D♭ ichikosucho on guitar

One open string only is in scale, the G, and it lands as a diminished fifth, so there is no open drone to work with. Capo at fret 1 gives you C ichikosucho shapes. Roots run fret 2 on the B, fret 4 on the A, fret 6 on the G and fret 9 on both E strings. Box one off the low root hands over at fret 13, meaning position work here sits well up the neck.

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