F# Balinese Guitar Scale
Guitar scale — fretboard diagram
F# Balinese Scale — Notes and Intervals
The F# Balinese scale is a traditional five-note tuning from the Gamelan tradition, also known as Pelog. On Guitar, it contains the notes F#, G, A, B, C#, D, F. 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: F#, G, A, B, C#, D, F
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 F# Balinese on Guitar
Place your index finger at fret 2 on the 6th (low E) to find your F# 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 9th fret on the A string.
The F# Balinese scale contains 2 sharps (F#, C#). This scale does not follow a traditional major or minor key signature, so reading from sheet music may require accidentals.
Practice Routine
Practice the F# Balinese scale by playing it ascending with one rhythmic feel (straight eighth notes) and descending with another (swing or triplets) at 80 BPM. This dual approach trains both technical accuracy and rhythmic versatility with the 7 notes of the scale.
Exotic scales like the Balinese often work best as a melodic layer over a single root drone on F#. Let the unique intervals speak for themselves without frequent chord changes.
Guitar Tips
On guitar, try playing the F# Balinese scale using legato technique (hammer-ons and pull-offs) to develop a smooth, connected sound. This is particularly effective for longer scale runs.
The F# Balinese scale contains 7 notes (F#, G, A, B, C#, D, F). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for F# Balinese
The F# 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 F# Balinese Further
- Harmonize the F# Balinese scale — triads & 7th chords
- Browse chord progressions
- F# Balinese on Ukulele
- F# Balinese on Bass
- F# Balinese on Piano
Explore F# Balinese in Other Tunings
- F# Balinese in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
- F# Balinese in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
- F# Balinese in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
- F# Balinese in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
- F# Balinese in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
- F# Balinese in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
- F# Balinese in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
- F# Balinese in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
- F# Balinese in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
- F# Balinese in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
- F# Balinese in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
- F# Balinese in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
- F# Balinese in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
- F# Balinese in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)