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A♯ Oriental (Chinese) scale

About the A sharp Oriental (Chinese) scale

A sharp Oriental (Chinese) is used for Middle Eastern flavored and cinematic melodies. Think of it as an exotic dominant scale with a flat second and flat fifth.

Its notes are A, B, C♯♯, D, E, F♯♯, and G. The formula is H 1½ H H 1½ H W. It is the fifth mode of D Double Harmonic Major.

On the piano, this scale touches the black keys A, D, and G.

Notes and intervals

1A#A♯Root
2BBMinor 2nd
3C##C♯♯Major 3rd
4D#D♯Perfect 4th
5EEDiminished 5th
6F##F♯♯Major 6th
7G#G♯Minor 7th
StepsH 1½ H H 1½ H W
Semitones1-3-1-1-3-1-2
Degrees1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Fingering

Suggested fingering, follows standard fingering rules

Hand A sharpBC double sharpD sharpEF double sharpG sharpA sharp
Right hand41231234
Left hand32132143

Shapes

Chromatic

CC♯D♭DD♯E♭EFF♯G♭GG♯A♭AA♯B♭B

Circle of Fifths

CGDAEBF♯G♭C♯D♭G♯A♭D♯E♭A♯B♭F

Related scales

Oriental (Chinese) in other keys

Modes

The same notes, starting on a different note.

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Bb Oriental (Chinese) scale on piano shown as colored note dots
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