E Messiaen's Mode #4 Banjo 5 String Scale
Banjo 5 String scale in Standard (Open G) tuning — fretboard diagram
E Messiaen's Mode #4 in Standard (Open G) — Notes and Intervals
The E Messiaen's Mode #4 scale is a symmetrical scale designed to have no single tonic. On Banjo 5 String, the notes are E, F, F#, A, A#, B, C, D#. Messiaen used it to create what he called the charm of impossibilities, evoking a sense of spiritual wonder where the listener loses their sense of direction. Commonly used in Contemporary Classical, Film Scores, Experimental. Notable players include Olivier Messiaen. Use for avant-garde composition and film scoring where traditional tonal direction should dissolve.
Notes: E, F, F#, A, A#, B, C, D#
Intervals: 1P, 2m, 2M, 4P, 4A, 5P, 6m, 7M
Degrees: 1 b2 3 4 #5 6 b7 8
Formula: H-H-WH-H-H-H-WH-H
Number of notes: 8
Tuning: Standard (Open G) (D-B-G-D-G)