G Hirajoshi Guitar Scale — Drop B
Guitar scale in Drop B tuning — fretboard diagram
G Hirajoshi in Drop B — Notes and Intervals
The G Hirajoshi scale is the most iconic Japanese scale, originally used for tuning the koto. On Guitar, it contains the notes G, A, Bb, D, Eb. Its poignant intervals create a wistful, traditional sound that has been adopted by rock guitarists to add an oriental edge to modern music. Commonly used in Japanese, Rock, Metal, Ambient, Film Scores. Notable players include Joe Satriani, Marty Friedman, Miyavi. Use over minor chords, sus2, and open string drones. Works beautifully with ambient effects and reverb for atmospheric textures.
Notes: G, A, Bb, D, Eb
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3m, 5P, 6m
Degrees: 1 2 b3 4 b5
Formula: W-H-4-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
- G Hirajoshi in Standard Tuning
- G Hirajoshi in Drop D
- G Hirajoshi in DADGAD
- G Hirajoshi in Open G
- G Hirajoshi in Baritone (B Standard)
- G Hirajoshi in 7-string
- G Hirajoshi in 8-string
- G Hirajoshi in Drop C
- G Hirajoshi in Open D
- G Hirajoshi in Half Step Down
- G Hirajoshi in Open E
- G Hirajoshi in Open A
- G Hirajoshi in Double Drop D
- G Hirajoshi in Open C