D Balinese Bass Scale
Bass scale — fretboard diagram
D Balinese Scale — Notes and Intervals
The D Balinese scale is a traditional five-note tuning from the Gamelan tradition, also known as Pelog. On Bass, it contains the notes D, Eb, F, G, A, Bb, C#. It creates a dark, meditative, and distinctively Southeast Asian atmosphere that sounds haunting and shimmering. Commonly used in Gamelan, World, Ambient, Film Scores. Notable players include Colin McPhee, Steve Reich. Use over drones and sustained bass notes. Traditional Gamelan music doesn't use chords — the scale is inherently melodic and interlocking.
Notes: D, Eb, F, G, A, Bb, C#
Intervals: 1P, 2m, 3m, 4P, 5P, 6m, 7M
Degrees: 1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 7
Formula: H-W-W-W-H-WH-H
Number of notes: 7
How to Play D Balinese on Bass
On bass, locate D on the A string at fret 5. Use a one-finger-per-fret approach starting from the root and span two to three strings. Keep your fretting hand relaxed and practice shifting between positions cleanly.
The D Balinese scale contains both sharps and flats (1 sharp, 2 flats), which is common in altered and exotic scales. This scale does not follow a traditional major or minor key signature, so reading from sheet music may require accidentals.
Practice Routine
Begin by playing the D Balinese scale ascending and descending at 80 BPM using a metronome, one note per beat. Once comfortable, practice in thirds (D-F, Eb-G) to build intervallic familiarity. Spend 5 minutes daily on this pattern before increasing tempo by 10 BPM.
Exotic scales like the Balinese often work best as a melodic layer over a single root drone on D. Let the unique intervals speak for themselves without frequent chord changes.
Bass Tips
Practice the D Balinese scale on bass using only your index and ring fingers for a two-finger-per-string approach, then switch to one-finger-per-fret. Both techniques are essential for different musical situations.
The D Balinese scale contains 7 notes (D, Eb, F, G, A, Bb, C#). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Bass with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for D Balinese
The D Balinese scale can be played in 5 CAGED positions across the fretboard, each based on an open chord shape (C, A, G, E, D). As a 7-note scale, it also lends itself to 3-notes-per-string (3NPS) patterns that facilitate legato playing and diagonal shifting. Use the pattern selector above to isolate each position.