STRINGSCALES

G♭ enigmatic Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: Fb, F, Gb, Abb, Bb, Dbb, Ebb, Fb at frets 0, 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 10, 12

A string: Bb, Dbb, Ebb, Fb, F, Gb, Abb at frets 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10

D string: Ebb, Fb, F, Gb, Abb, Bb, Dbb, Ebb at frets 0, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 12

G string: Abb, Bb, Dbb, Ebb, Fb, F, Gb, Abb at frets 0, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12

B string: Dbb, Ebb, Fb, F, Gb, Abb, Bb at frets 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11

High E string: Fb, F, Gb, Abb, Bb, Dbb, Ebb, Fb at frets 0, 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 10, 12

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Gb 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+

G♭aug
A𝄫

bII

D𝄫maj/Abb
B♭

III

B♭maj
D𝄫

bV

D𝄫majb5
E𝄫

bVI

F♭

bVII

G♭7no5/Fb
F

VII

Fsus2

enigmatic in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

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

Roots at fret 2 on both E strings anchor box one low, so nothing has to move until fret 6. Open D and G are in scale as a minor sixth and minor second, which means four open strings are available but none of them will drone. Capo at fret 2 borrows E enigmatic fingering. Nearest fretted root above the nut is fret 4 on the D string, with the A-shape barre at fret 9.

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