A# Messiaen's Mode #6 Guitar Scale

Guitar scale — fretboard diagramAdvanced

What chords fit over A# Messiaen's Mode #6?

A# Messiaen's Mode #6 Scale — Notes and Intervals

The A# Messiaen's Mode #6 scale is a symmetrical scale associated with radiance and light. On Guitar, its notes are A#, C, D, D#, E, E##, F###, A. It creates a uniform coloration that transcends traditional keys, making the music sound brilliant and enlightened. Commonly used in Contemporary Classical, Sacred Music, Experimental. Notable players include Olivier Messiaen. Use for creating a sense of radiant, enlightened calm. Best in sustained, atmospheric contexts.

Notes: A#, C, D, D#, E, E##, F###, A

Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3M, 4P, 4A, 5A, 6A, 7M

Degrees: 1 2 3 4 #5 #6 #7 8

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

Number of notes: 8

Musical Character

RadiantBrilliantEnlightenedLuminous

Associated with radiance and light in Messiaen's system — creates a uniform, brilliant coloration that transcends traditional keys.

Genres & Notable Artists

Genres: Contemporary Classical, Sacred Music, Experimental

Notable players: Olivier Messiaen

How to Use the A# Messiaen's Mode #6 Scale

Use for creating a sense of radiant, enlightened calm. Best in sustained, atmospheric contexts.

Origin & Background

Used by Messiaen in his sacred music to represent divine light and spiritual illumination.

How to Play A# Messiaen's Mode #6 on Guitar

Place your index finger at fret 6 on the 6th (low E) to find your A# root note. Because this scale has 8 notes, four-notes-per-string stretches may be necessary. Start with a single position and expand gradually. Keep your thumb centered behind the neck for reach.

The A# Messiaen's Mode #6 scale contains 4 sharps (A#, D#, E##, F###). This scale does not follow a traditional major or minor key signature, so reading from sheet music may require accidentals.

Practice Routine

Set a metronome to 100 BPM and play the A# Messiaen's Mode #6 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.

Experiment with simple two-chord vamps rooted on A# to let the characteristic intervals of the Messiaen's Mode #6 scale come through clearly. This scale is especially effective in sacred music contexts.

Guitar Tips

On guitar, practice the A# Messiaen's Mode #6 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 radiant quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.

Related Scales

The A# Messiaen's Mode #6 scale contains 8 notes (A#, C, D, D#, E, E##, F###, A). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.

CAGED Positions & Patterns for A# Messiaen's Mode #6

The A# Messiaen's Mode #6 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 8-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# Messiaen's Mode #6 Further

Explore A# Messiaen's Mode #6 in Other Tunings

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