E Oriental Guitar Scale

E Oriental Scale — Notes and Intervals

The E Oriental scale is an aggressive and dissonant exotic scale. On Guitar, its notes are E, F, G#, A, Bb, C#, D. It is frequently used in film and television scores to signal danger, ancient mystery, or high-stakes drama. Commonly used in Film Scores, Metal, Experimental. Notable players include Hans Zimmer, John Williams. Use over sustained bass notes or pedal tones. Best in dramatic, cinematic contexts rather than over standard chord changes.

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

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

Degrees: 1 b2 3 4 5 6 b7

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

Number of notes: 7

Musical Character

An aggressive, dissonant exotic scale with dense chromatic clusters. In film and TV, it signals danger, ancient mystery, or high-stakes drama.

Genres & Notable Artists

Genres: Film Scores, Metal, Experimental

Notable players: Hans Zimmer, John Williams

How to Use the E Oriental Scale

Use over sustained bass notes or pedal tones. Best in dramatic, cinematic contexts rather than over standard chord changes.

Origin & Background

A Western theoretical construct for 'oriental' color. Used extensively in Hollywood scoring for dramatic effect.

How to Play E Oriental on Guitar

Start the E Oriental 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 Oriental scale contains both sharps and flats (2 sharps, 1 flat), 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

Practice the E Oriental scale by playing it ascending with one rhythmic feel (straight eighth notes) and descending with another (swing or triplets) at 100 BPM. This dual approach trains both technical accuracy and rhythmic versatility with the 7 notes of the scale.

Exotic scales like the Oriental 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. This scale is especially effective in experimental contexts.

Guitar Tips

On guitar, try playing the E Oriental scale using legato technique (hammer-ons and pull-offs) to develop a smooth, connected sound. This is particularly effective for longer scale runs. Aim for a dangerous quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.

Related Scales

• E Persian
• E Phrygian dominant
• E Double harmonic major

The E Oriental scale contains 7 notes (E, F, G#, A, Bb, C#, D). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.

CAGED Positions & Patterns for E Oriental

The E Oriental 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 Oriental Further

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

Explore E Oriental in Other Tunings

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

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