STRINGSCALES

E♭ enigmatic Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: Fb, G, Bbb, Cb, Db, D, Eb, Fb at frets 0, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12

A string: Bbb, Cb, Db, D, Eb, Fb, G, Bbb at frets 0, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12

D string: D, Eb, Fb, G, Bbb, Cb, Db, D at frets 0, 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12

G string: G, Bbb, Cb, Db, D, Eb, Fb, G at frets 0, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12

B string: Cb, Db, D, Eb, Fb, G, Bbb, Cb at frets 0, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 12

High E string: Fb, G, Bbb, Cb, Db, D, Eb, Fb at frets 0, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12

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Eb 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:

E♭

I+

E♭aug
F♭

bII+

D♭m#5/Fb
G

III

Gmaj
B𝄫

bV

B𝄫majb5
C♭

bVI

D♭

bVII

E♭7no5/Db
D

VII

Dsus2

enigmatic in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • Verdi wrote the scala enigmatica as a harmonization puzzle: treat Eb enigmatic as through-composed material, not a jam scale.
  • The bottom is a half step, the middle is whole tone (III to b5 (A) to b6 (B) to b7 (Db)), the top stacks two leading tones; phrase those three zones separately.
  • Both the flat 7th (Db) and major 7th (D) resolve to Eb; 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 E♭ enigmatic on guitar

All six open strings fall in scale, and they land as a minor second, diminished fifth, major seventh, major third and minor sixth, so no open pedal will hold. Capo at fret 1 restores D enigmatic fingering. Roots start at fret 1 on the D string and climb to fret 11 on both E strings. Handover out of box one comes at fret 15, which means most position work in this key sits high on the neck.

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