About the A sharp Ritusen (Chinese) scale
A sharp Ritusen (Chinese) is used for folk melodies and pentatonic writing. Think of it as a five-note scale with no third, open and pastoral. It is A♯ Major Pentatonic with the third raised.
Its notes are A♯, B♯, D♯, E♯, and G. The formula is W 1½ W W 1½. It is the fourth mode of D♯ Major Pentatonic.
Also called Scottish Pentatonic and Durga.
One open-string note belongs to A♯ Ritusen (Chinese), namely G. The lowest A♯ on a standard-tuned guitar sits at the 1st fret of the A string. A full root-to-root octave of this scale fits within the first three frets, so it has a real open-position box.
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 | B#B♯ | Major 2nd |
| 3 | D#D♯ | Perfect 4th |
| 4 | E#E♯ | Perfect 5th |
| 5 | GG | Major 6th |
| Steps | W 1½ W W 1½ |
|---|---|
| Semitones | 2-3-2-2-3 |
| Degrees | 1 2 4 5 6 |
Shapes
Chromatic
Circle of Fifths
Related scales
Ritusen (Chinese) in other keys
Modes
The same notes, starting on a different note.
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