A# Balinese Piano Scale
Piano scale diagramIntermediate
A# Balinese Scale — Notes and Intervals
The A# Balinese scale is a traditional five-note tuning from the Gamelan tradition, also known as Pelog. On Piano, it contains the notes A#, B, C#, D#, F, F#, A. 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: A#, B, C#, D#, F, F#, A
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
Musical Character
A Pelog-related tuning from Balinese Gamelan that creates a dark, meditative atmosphere with its distinctively non-Western intervals.
Genres & Notable Artists
Genres: Gamelan, World, Ambient, Film Scores
Notable players: Colin McPhee, Steve Reich
How to Use the A# Balinese Scale
Use over drones and sustained bass notes. Traditional Gamelan music doesn't use chords — the scale is inherently melodic and interlocking.
Origin & Background
From the Gamelan tradition of Bali. The Pelog tuning system uses intervals that don't exist in Western equal temperament.
How to Play A# Balinese on Piano
On piano, the A# Balinese 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# Balinese scale contains 4 sharps (A#, C#, D#, F#). 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 80 BPM and play the A# Balinese 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 Balinese 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 gamelan contexts.
Piano Tips
At the piano, try voicing the A# Balinese 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 meditative quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.
Related Scales
The A# Balinese scale contains 7 notes (A#, B, C#, D#, F, F#, A). Use the interactive piano diagram above to explore this scale on Piano.