D# Kumoijoshi Guitar Scale — Drop B
Guitar scale in Drop B tuning — fretboard diagram
D# Kumoijoshi in Drop B — Notes and Intervals
The D# Kumoijoshi scale is a traditional Japanese Koto tuning that produces a tranquil and standard classical sound. On Guitar, the notes are D#, E, G#, A#, B. It is a peaceful variation of the Hirajoshi scale used for centuries in Japanese chamber music. Commonly used in Japanese, Classical, Ambient. Notable players include Kitaro, Takemitsu. Use over minor chords and sustained bass notes. Best in sparse, contemplative arrangements.
Notes: D#, E, G#, A#, B
Intervals: 1P, 2m, 4P, 5P, 6m
Degrees: 1 b2 3 4 b5
Formula: H-4-W-H-4
Number of notes: 5
Tuning: Drop B (B-F#-B-E-G#-C#)
About Drop B Tuning
Drop B tuning (B-F#-B-E-G#-C#) takes the guitar into territory traditionally reserved for 7-string instruments, delivering a subsonic heaviness that you can feel in your chest. This tuning has become essential in modern extreme metal, deathcore, and djent, where low-end clarity and rhythmic precision are paramount.
Drop B represents the practical limit of what a standard 6-string guitar can handle before tone quality degrades. With the right string gauge (12-60 or heavier) and proper setup, it delivers the crushing lows of a 7-string while keeping the familiar 6-string layout. Bands like Architects, Periphery (on some tracks), and Parkway Drive have used Drop B to create some of the heaviest riffs in modern metal.
Notable artists: Architects, Parkway Drive, Whitechapel, Born of Osiris, Emmure
Best for: Extreme metal riffs, deathcore breakdowns, djent chugs, and any style demanding the lowest possible 6-string tuning
Explore This Scale in Other Tunings
- D# Kumoijoshi in Standard Tuning
- D# Kumoijoshi in Drop D
- D# Kumoijoshi in DADGAD
- D# Kumoijoshi in Open G
- D# Kumoijoshi in Baritone (B Standard)
- D# Kumoijoshi in 7-string
- D# Kumoijoshi in 8-string
- D# Kumoijoshi in Drop C
- D# Kumoijoshi in Open D
- D# Kumoijoshi in Half Step Down
- D# Kumoijoshi in Open E
- D# Kumoijoshi in Open A
- D# Kumoijoshi in Double Drop D
- D# Kumoijoshi in Open C