E Balinese Guitar Scale
Guitar scale — fretboard diagram
E Balinese Scale — Notes and Intervals
The E Balinese scale is a traditional five-note tuning from the Gamelan tradition, also known as Pelog. On Guitar, it contains the notes E, F, G, A, B, C, D#. 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: E, F, G, A, B, C, D#
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 E Balinese on Guitar
Start the E Balinese scale in open position, taking advantage of the open E string. 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.
The E Balinese scale contains 1 sharp (D#). 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 E Balinese scale ascending and descending at 80 BPM using a metronome, one note per beat. Once comfortable, practice in thirds (E-G, F-A) 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 E. Let the unique intervals speak for themselves without frequent chord changes.
Guitar Tips
Use hybrid picking (pick + fingers) when playing the E Balinese scale on guitar to access wider intervals and string skips that a pick alone cannot handle efficiently.
The E Balinese scale contains 7 notes (E, F, G, A, B, C, D#). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for E Balinese
The E 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.
Explore E Balinese Further
- Harmonize the E Balinese scale — triads & 7th chords
- Browse chord progressions
- E Balinese on Ukulele
- E Balinese on Bass
- E Balinese on Piano
Explore E Balinese in Other Tunings
- E Balinese in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
- E Balinese in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
- E Balinese in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
- E Balinese in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
- E Balinese in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
- E Balinese in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
- E Balinese in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
- E Balinese in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
- E Balinese in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
- E Balinese in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
- E Balinese in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
- E Balinese in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
- E Balinese in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
- E Balinese in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)