E Arabic and the Open Strings

Play the E arabic scale

Use the step menu in the player to switch between the single-string run and the box shapes.

Notes of the E arabic scale

Structure

E arabic scale notes:

E F# G# A Bb C D

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.

E Arabic Scale Guitar Patterns

Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.

On one string (low E)

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 E arabic scale

Stacking thirds on each degree of the scale gives these chords.

Scales with the same notes as E Arabic

These scales use exactly the same notes. Each one starts somewhere else, so the root and the mood change.

Other scales on E

Same root, different notes. Play them back to back to hear what changes.

• E Bizantine: shares 4 notes
• E Persian: shares 5 notes
• E Phrygian Dominant: shares 5 notes
• E Mixolydian b6: 5 instead of b5
• E Aeolian b5: b3 instead of 3

The arabic scale in other keys

All about the arabic scale →

Keep learning

• Matching scales to chords
• Two notes per string patterns