About the B flat Iwato (Japanese) scale
B flat 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 B♭, C♭, E♭, F♭, and A♭. The formula is H 4 semitones H 4 semitones W. It is the third mode of F♭ Chinese.
In B♭ Iwato (Japanese), the open strings sound E and B. Down at the 1st fret of the A string lies the lowest B♭ a guitar can play. This mode plays in open position, a whole octave of the scale falling within the first three frets.
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 | BbB♭ | Root |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | CbC♭ | Minor 2nd |
| 3 | EbE♭ | Perfect 4th |
| 4 | FbF♭ | Diminished 5th |
| 5 | AbA♭ | 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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