A Ousak Guitar Scale

A Ousak Scale — Notes and Intervals

The A Ousak scale is the most fundamental dromos in Greek Rebetiko music, corresponding to the Phrygian mode and providing the essential darkened quality that defines the sound of bouzouki. On Guitar, it contains the notes A, Bb, C, D, E, F, G. Its simplicity makes it the first mode learned by aspiring Greek folk musicians, yet its expressive depth has sustained countless masterpieces of the tavern music tradition. Commonly used in Greek Folk, Rebetiko, Turkish, Laiko. Notable players include Markos Vamvakaris, Vassilis Tsitsanis. Use over minor chords, particularly emphasizing the 1st, 4th, and b7th degrees. The standard harmonic framework for Greek folk songs in the Ousak dromos uses i, iv, and bVII chords.

Notes: A, Bb, C, D, E, F, G

Intervals: 1P, 2m, 3m, 4P, 5P, 6m, 7m

Degrees: 1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7

Formula: H-W-W-W-H-W-W

Number of notes: 7

Musical Character

The Greek folk version of Phrygian. The simplest and most common dromos in Rebetiko, its b2 provides the essential darkened quality that defines the sound of bouzouki music.

Genres & Notable Artists

Genres: Greek Folk, Rebetiko, Turkish, Laiko

Notable players: Markos Vamvakaris, Vassilis Tsitsanis

How to Use the A Ousak Scale

Use over minor chords, particularly emphasizing the 1st, 4th, and b7th degrees. The standard harmonic framework for Greek folk songs in the Ousak dromos uses i, iv, and bVII chords.

Origin & Background

The most fundamental dromos in Greek Rebetiko and Laiko music, corresponding to the Phrygian mode. The name derives from the Turkish makam Ussak. It forms the melodic backbone of countless bouzouki songs from the golden age of Rebetiko.

How to Play A Ousak on Guitar

Place your index finger at fret 5 on the 6th (low E) to find your A root note. Use a three-notes-per-string fingering to cover the full scale in one position, or learn the CAGED shapes to navigate the entire fretboard. An alternative starting point is open position using open A string.

The A Ousak scale contains 1 flat (Bb). This scale does not follow a traditional major or minor key signature, so reading from sheet music may require accidentals.

Practice Routine — Exercises for Playing

Set a metronome to 60 BPM and play the A Ousak scale in groups of four notes, shifting the starting note each repetition. This builds muscle memory across the entire scale range. After a week, try improvising short 4-bar phrases using only these notes.

Exotic scales like the Ousak often work best as a melodic layer over a single root drone on A. Let the unique intervals speak for themselves without frequent chord changes. This scale is especially effective in turkish contexts.

Guitar Tips

On guitar, practice the A Ousak scale on a single string from the open position to the 12th fret. This trains your ear to hear the intervals linearly and helps with slide guitar applications. Aim for a melancholic quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.

Related Scales

Ousak is the 3rd mode of the Major scale. View A Major scale

• A Phrygian
• A Hijaz
• A Souzinak
• A Aeolian

The A Ousak scale contains 7 notes (A, Bb, C, D, E, F, G). Use the interactive fretboard diagram above to explore each shape and pattern on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges. Practice ascending and descending from the root note to learn the sound of this scale.

CAGED Positions & Patterns for A Ousak

The A Ousak 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.

Explore A Ousak Further

• Harmonize the A Ousak scale — triads & 7th chords
• Browse chord progressions
• A Ousak on Ukulele
• A Ousak on Bass
• A Ousak on Piano

Explore A Ousak in Other Tunings

• A Ousak in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
• A Ousak in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
• A Ousak in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
• A Ousak in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
• A Ousak in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
• A Ousak in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
• A Ousak in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
• A Ousak in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
• A Ousak in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
• A Ousak in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
• A Ousak in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
• A Ousak in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
• A Ousak in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
• A Ousak in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)

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