A Oriental Piano Scale
Piano scale diagramAdvanced
A Oriental Scale — Notes and Intervals
The A Oriental scale is an aggressive and dissonant exotic scale. On Piano, its notes are A, Bb, C#, D, Eb, F#, G. 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: A, Bb, C#, D, Eb, F#, G
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 A 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 A Oriental on Piano
On piano, the A Oriental scale uses 4 black keys. With several black keys involved, let the thumb naturally fall on white keys where possible. Practice hands separately at first, paying attention to smooth thumb-under transitions.
The A Oriental scale contains both sharps and flats (2 sharps, 2 flats), 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
Set a metronome to 100 BPM and play the A Oriental 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.
Exotic scales like the Oriental often work best as a melodic layer over a single root drone on A. Let the unique intervals speak for themselves without frequent chord changes. This scale is especially effective in metal contexts.
Piano Tips
At the piano, try voicing the A Oriental scale in the left hand as blocked intervals (thirds or sixths) while the right hand plays the melody. This develops your harmonic ear and comping skills simultaneously. Aim for a dangerous quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.
Related Scales
The A Oriental scale contains 7 notes (A, Bb, C#, D, Eb, F#, G). Use the interactive piano diagram above to explore this scale on Piano.