Colour key
R234p567Each colour is a scale degree, counted from the key. A ♭ or ♯ note keeps its degree's colour: ♭3 is still amber.
A Enigmatic
♭2, 3, then ♯4 ♯5 ♯6 rising whole steps to 7. Puzzling and unresolved (Verdi's scala enigmatica).
Where you hear it: Melodic colour over a drone rather than chords.
Step pattern H – W+H – W – W – W – H – H
- Compared with A major: ♭2 B → B♭, ♯4 D → D♯, ♯5 E → E♯, ♯6 F♯ → F♯♯
- Compared with A natural minor: ♭2 B → B♭, ♯3 C → C♯, ♯4 D → D♯, ♯5 E → E♯, ♯♯6 F → F♯♯, ♯7 G → G♯
A Enigmatic on the guitar
Pick a position below to outline it on the neck.
in the pentatonic r ♭2 3 ♯5 ♯6: playedother notes of Enigmatic: not playedPlay runs up the position from its lowest note and back down; Sample melody plays a short tune using only its notes. Tap a position's name to see it on the neck.
Modes with the same notes as A Enigmatic
Enigmatic is a scale of its own, not a mode of the major, harmonic minor or melodic minor scale, so no named mode shares its notes.
Every chord in A Enigmatic
- Amaj7♯51/14easyfret 5· shell
- B♭?(add♯9,?)1/5easyfret 8· adds mode notes
- C♯61/11mediumfret 4
- D♯7♭51/15easyfret 6
- E♯?1/12easyfret 1· shell
- F♯♯sus2(♭5)(♯9)1/3mediumfret 3· adds mode notes
- G♯sus21/1mediumfret 6· smaller chord, also fits
Each chord stacks every other note of the scale (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th). Tap a row to hear it.
Sus and extension chords from each chord
From Aaug you can go through the 2nd of the scale to sus2 and 9 chords, through the 4th to sus4 and 11, and so on. All seven chords of A Enigmatic.
Hover or focus a small bubble for what it is, click to keep the note open.
Closest shape: leaves out a colour note.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
No common guitar shape for this chord in the library.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
No common guitar shape for this chord in the library.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Closest shape: leaves out a colour note.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.