STRINGSCALES

G enigmatic Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: F, F#, G, Ab, B, Db, Eb at frets 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 11

A string: B, Db, Eb, F, F#, G, Ab at frets 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11

D string: Eb, F, F#, G, Ab, B, Db at frets 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11

G string: G, Ab, B, Db, Eb, F, F#, G at frets 0, 1, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12

B string: B, Db, Eb, F, F#, G, Ab, B at frets 0, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12

High E string: F, F#, G, Ab, B, Db, Eb at frets 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 11

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G 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:

G

I+

Gaug
A♭

bII

D♭maj/Ab
B

III

Bmaj
D♭

bV

D♭majb5
E♭

bVI

F

bVII

G7no5/F
F♯

VII

F♯sus2

enigmatic in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

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

Open G string is the root, meaning a drone sits one string away from anything you fret. Open B is in scale as the major third, giving two usable open strings and no others. Lowest root is fret 3 on the low E. Fret 7 is where the next box begins, which puts the A-string root at fret 10 outside the first shape.

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