D Ritusen Mandolin Scale
Mandolin scale — fretboard diagram
D Ritusen Scale — Notes and Intervals
The D Ritusen scale is a traditional Japanese pentatonic scale known for its balanced and tranquil nature. On Mandolin, the notes are D, E, G, A, B. It has a suspended quality that sounds very peaceful and is a core part of ancient East Asian court music and contemplative melodies. Commonly used in Japanese, World, Ambient, Film Scores. Notable players include Kitaro, Ryuichi Sakamoto. Use over sus2, sus4, and open chords. Its omission of the 3rd creates an ambiguous major/minor quality.
Notes: D, E, G, A, B
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 4P, 5P, 6M
Degrees: 1 2 3 4 5
Formula: W-WH-W-W-WH
Number of notes: 5
How to Play D Ritusen on Mandolin
Begin by locating D on your instrument and play through the 5 notes of the Ritusen scale slowly, ensuring each note rings clearly before increasing speed.
The D Ritusen scale uses no sharps or flats, consisting entirely of natural notes. This scale does not follow a traditional major or minor key signature, so reading from sheet music may require accidentals.
Practice Routine
Practice the D Ritusen 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 5 notes of the scale.
This scale works well over simple power chord progressions or a 12-bar blues in D. Try a D5 - A5 - B5 progression.
Mandolin Tips
Practice the D Ritusen scale slowly and evenly on your instrument, focusing on tone quality for each of the 5 notes before building speed.
The D Ritusen scale contains 5 notes (D, E, G, A, B). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Mandolin with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for D Ritusen
The D Ritusen 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 5-note pentatonic scale, 2-notes-per-string patterns are the most ergonomic way to traverse the fretboard. Use the pattern selector above to isolate each position.