About the A sharp Iwato (Japanese) scale
A sharp Iwato (Japanese) is used for traditional Japanese and film music. Think of it as a dark Japanese five-note scale with two flat fifths of space.
Its notes are A♯, B, D♯, E, and G♯. The formula is H 4 semitones H 4 semitones W. It is the third mode of E Chinese.
This scale shares E and B with the guitar's open strings. The lowest A♯ on a standard-tuned guitar sits at the 1st fret of the A string. The first three frets carry a complete octave of A♯ Iwato (Japanese), a genuine open-position shape.
Positions
Playable shapes for this scale up the neck. Tap any note to hear it.
Pentatonic boxes
The five shapes blues and rock are built on, the first scale most guitarists ever solo with, one box per note up the neck.
Notes and intervals
| 1 | A#A♯ | Root |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | BB | Minor 2nd |
| 3 | D#D♯ | Perfect 4th |
| 4 | EE | Diminished 5th |
| 5 | G#G♯ | Minor 7th |
| Steps | H 4 semitones H 4 semitones W |
|---|---|
| Semitones | 1-4-1-4-2 |
| Degrees | 1 ♭2 4 ♭5 ♭7 |
Shapes
Chromatic
Circle of Fifths
Related scales
Iwato (Japanese) in other keys
Modes
The same notes, starting on a different note.
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