D Balinese Ukulele Scale
Ukulele scale — fretboard diagramIntermediate
What chords fit over D Balinese?
Open D Balinese HarmonizerD Balinese Scale — Notes and Intervals
The D Balinese scale is a traditional five-note tuning from the Gamelan tradition, also known as Pelog. On Ukulele, it contains the notes D, Eb, F, G, A, Bb, C#. 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: D, Eb, F, G, A, Bb, C#
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 D 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 D Balinese on Ukulele
On ukulele, find D 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 D Balinese scale contains both sharps and flats (1 sharp, 2 flats), which is common in altered and exotic scales. 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 D 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 D. Let the unique intervals speak for themselves without frequent chord changes. This scale is especially effective in ambient contexts.
Ukulele Tips
The compact fretboard of the ukulele makes the D Balinese scale easy to visualize in a single position. Use this to your advantage by memorizing the scale shape relative to chord shapes you already know. Aim for a meditative quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.
Related Scales
The D Balinese scale contains 7 notes (D, Eb, F, G, A, Bb, C#). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Ukulele with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for D Balinese
The D Balinese 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 D Balinese Further
- Harmonize the D Balinese scale — triads & 7th chords
- Browse chord progressions
- D Balinese on Guitar
- D Balinese on Bass
- D Balinese on Piano