Colour key
R234p567Each colour is a scale degree, counted from the key. A ♭ or ♯ note keeps its degree's colour: ♭3 is still amber.
C 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 C major: ♭2 D → D♭, ♯4 F → F♯, ♯5 G → G♯, ♯6 A → A♯
- Compared with C natural minor: ♭2 D → D♭, ♯3 E♭ → E, ♯4 F → F♯, ♯5 G → G♯, ♯♯6 A♭ → A♯, ♯7 B♭ → B
C 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 C 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 C Enigmatic
- Cmaj7♯51/15easyfret 8· shell
- D♭?(add♯9,?)1/5easyfret 11· adds mode notes
- E61/12mediumfret 2
- F♯7♭51/15easyfret 2· shell
- G♯?1/12easyfret 4· shell
- A♯sus2(♭5)(♯9)1/3mediumfret 6· adds mode notes
- Bsus21/1mediumfret 9· 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 Caug 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 C 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.