B Oriental Ukulele Scale
Ukulele scale — fretboard diagramAdvanced
What chords fit over B Oriental?
Open B Oriental HarmonizerB Oriental Scale — Notes and Intervals
The B Oriental scale is an aggressive and dissonant exotic scale. On Ukulele, its notes are B, C, D#, E, F, G#, A. 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: B, C, D#, E, F, G#, A
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 B 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 B Oriental on Ukulele
On ukulele, find B on the fret 2 area, and work through the scale within a four-fret span. You may need to shift positions once to cover all 7 notes. Practice each position separately before linking them together.
The B Oriental scale contains 2 sharps (D#, G#). This scale does not follow a traditional major or minor key signature, so reading from sheet music may require accidentals.
Practice Routine
Begin by playing the B Oriental scale ascending and descending at 100 BPM using a metronome, one note per beat. Once comfortable, practice in thirds (B-D#, C-E) to build intervallic familiarity. Spend 5 minutes daily on this pattern before increasing tempo by 10 BPM.
Exotic scales like the Oriental often work best as a melodic layer over a single root drone on B. Let the unique intervals speak for themselves without frequent chord changes. This scale is especially effective in film scores contexts.
Ukulele Tips
On ukulele, the B Oriental scale sounds particularly charming when played as a melodic pattern over fingerpicked chord shapes. Try integrating scale tones into your strumming patterns for a more sophisticated sound. Aim for a dangerous quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.
Related Scales
The B Oriental scale contains 7 notes (B, C, D#, E, F, G#, A). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Ukulele with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for B Oriental
The B Oriental scale can be played in 5 CAGED positions across the fretboard, each based on an open chord shape (C, A, G, E, D). As a 7-note scale, it also lends itself to 3-notes-per-string (3NPS) patterns that facilitate legato playing and diagonal shifting. Use the pattern selector above to isolate each position.
Explore B Oriental Further
- Harmonize the B Oriental scale — triads & 7th chords
- Browse chord progressions
- B Oriental on Guitar
- B Oriental on Bass
- B Oriental on Piano