B Enigmatic scale
Verdi's scale with lowered 2nd and 7th and raised 4th and 5th; the opening 1–b2 semitone and closing b7–7–1 frame wider intervals.
Octaves
Musical context
How the scale relates to the chord, mode, key and progression.
Theory
General info
- Name
- B Enigmatic scale
- Family
- Exotic scales
- Note count
- 7
- Step formula
- H – W+H – W – W – W – H – H
- Numeric formula
- 0-1-3-2-2-2-1-1
Notes & degrees
1Broot
b2Cminor 2nd
3D#major 3rd
#4E#aug 4th
#5Gaug 5th
b7Aminor 7th
7A#major 7th
Construction
- Overview
- Verdi's scale with lowered 2nd and 7th and raised 4th and 5th; the opening 1–b2 semitone and closing b7–7–1 frame wider intervals.
- Application in music
- It does not form a standard set of diatonic functions and is used as colour outside conventional major–minor harmony.
- Interval formula
- BHCWHD#WE#WGWAHA#
Chords by degree
Tensions & resolutions
Stable degrees
IBnominal centretonic
IIID#defines modal qualitythird
Typical resolutions & tensions
VIIA#A#
IBB
In typical voice leading, the leading tone rises by semitone to tonic.
IBB
IICC
Scale degree 2 may descend to tonic; the motion is especially close when degree 2 is lowered.
This scale on guitar 🎸
See how B Enigmatic scale looks on guitar.
Circle of fifths
The major key on the same tonic and its neighbouring keys on the circle of fifths.
Connections
Practice
Keyboard Trainer
Reinforce it in practice — play and name notes on the interactive keyboard.