Eb Japanese Scale Explained

Eb, F, Ab, Bb and Cb are the notes of the Eb Japanese scale. Cb sounds like B, a theoretical name that keeps the half step above Bb readable.

Fret the root on the 11th fret of the low E string or the 6th fret of the A string. D# Japanese uses the same pitches with sharps instead. Everything fits inside Eb natural minor.

Play the Eb japanese scale

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

Notes of the Eb japanese scale

Note	Degree	Interval	Semitones from root
Eb	1	Root	0
F	2	Major 2nd	2
Ab	4	Perfect 4th	5
Bb	5	Perfect 5th	7
Cb	b6	Minor 6th	8

Structure

Eb japanese scale notes:

Eb F Ab Bb Cb

How the japanese scale is built:

The japanese scale is built from the degrees 1 2 4 5 b6, which gives the step pattern W-W+H-W-H-WW (W = whole step, H = half step).

Counting in semitones from the root: 0, 2, 5, 7, 8. That makes it a 5-note scale.

Eb Japanese Scale Guitar Patterns

Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.

On one string (D)

Box pattern — position 1

Box pattern — position 2

Box pattern — position 3

Box pattern — position 4

Box pattern — position 5

Other scales on Eb

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

Eb Indian: b2 instead of 2
Eb Minor: adds the b3 and b7
Eb Harmonic Minor: adds the b3 and 7
Eb Harmonic Major: adds the 3 and 7
Eb Mixolydian b6: adds the 3 and b7

The japanese scale in other keys

C Japanese C# Japanese D Japanese Eb Japanese E Japanese F Japanese F# Japanese G Japanese Ab Japanese A Japanese Bb Japanese B Japanese

All about the japanese scale →

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Created by

Giancarlo Facoetti

Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher