Bb Arabic, Shape by Shape
Bb, C, D, Eb, Fb, Gb and Ab form the Bb Arabic scale. Fb is the flat fifth, played at the same fret as E.
Try the root on the 6th fret of the low E string, or on the 1st fret of the A string, close to the nut. Apart from the starting fret, the shape is exactly what you use in the other keys.
Play the Bb arabic scale
Use the step menu in the player to switch between the single-string run and the box shapes.
Notes of the Bb arabic scale
| Note | Degree | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bb | 1 | Root | 0 |
| C | 2 | Major 2nd | 2 |
| D | 3 | Major 3rd | 4 |
| Eb | 4 | Perfect 4th | 5 |
| Fb | b5 | Tritone | 6 |
| Gb | b6 | Minor 6th | 8 |
| Ab | b7 | Minor 7th | 10 |
Structure
Bb arabic scale notes:
How the arabic scale is built:
The arabic scale is built from the degrees 1 2 3 4 b5 b6 b7, which gives the step pattern W-W-H-H-W-W-W (W = whole step, H = half step).
Counting in semitones from the root: 0, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10. That makes it a 7-note scale.
It is also known as Major Locrian.
Bb Arabic Scale Guitar Patterns
Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.
On one string (A)
Box pattern — position 1
Box pattern — position 2
Box pattern — position 3
Box pattern — position 4
Box pattern — position 5
3 notes per string — position 1
3 notes per string — position 2
3 notes per string — position 3
3 notes per string — position 4
3 notes per string — position 5
Chords in the Bb arabic scale
Stacking thirds on each degree of the scale gives these chords.
Scales with the same notes as Bb Arabic
These scales use exactly the same notes. Each one starts somewhere else, so the root and the mood change.
| Scale | Starts on degree | Learn the scale |
|---|---|---|
| Eb Neapolitan | 4 | Neapolitan Major |
Other scales on Bb
Same root, different notes. Play them back to back to hear what changes.
- Bb Bizantine: shares 4 notes
- Bb Persian: shares 5 notes
- Bb Phrygian Dominant: shares 5 notes
- Bb Mixolydian b6: 5 instead of b5
- Bb Aeolian b5: b3 instead of 3
The arabic scale in other keys
Keep learning
Created by
Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher
