A Messiaen's Mode #4 Banjo (5-String) Scale
Banjo (5-String) scale — fretboard diagramAdvanced
A Messiaen's Mode #4 Scale — Notes and Intervals
The A Messiaen's Mode #4 scale is a symmetrical scale designed to have no single tonic. On Banjo (5-String), the notes are A, Bb, B, D, D#, E, F, G#. Messiaen used it to create what he called the charm of impossibilities, evoking a sense of spiritual wonder where the listener loses their sense of direction. Commonly used in Contemporary Classical, Film Scores, Experimental. Notable players include Olivier Messiaen. Use for avant-garde composition and film scoring where traditional tonal direction should dissolve.
Notes: A, Bb, B, D, D#, E, F, G#
Intervals: 1P, 2m, 2M, 4P, 4A, 5P, 6m, 7M
Degrees: 1 b2 3 4 #5 6 b7 8
Formula: H-H-WH-H-H-H-WH-H
Number of notes: 8
Musical Character
Creates what Messiaen called 'the charm of impossibilities' — the listener loses their sense of tonal direction, creating a spiritual disorientation that evokes wonder.
Genres & Notable Artists
Genres: Contemporary Classical, Film Scores, Experimental
Notable players: Olivier Messiaen
How to Use the A Messiaen's Mode #4 Scale
Use for avant-garde composition and film scoring where traditional tonal direction should dissolve.
Origin & Background
Part of Messiaen's Modes of Limited Transposition, published in 'Technique de mon langage musical' (1944).
How to Play A Messiaen's Mode #4 on Banjo (5-String)
Begin by locating A on your instrument and play through the 8 notes of the Messiaen's Mode #4 scale slowly, ensuring each note rings clearly before increasing speed.
The A Messiaen's Mode #4 scale contains both sharps and flats (2 sharps, 1 flat), which is common in altered and exotic scales. This scale does not follow a traditional major or minor key signature, so reading from sheet music may require accidentals.
Practice Routine
Set a metronome to 100 BPM and play the A Messiaen's Mode #4 scale in groups of four notes, shifting the starting note each repetition. This builds muscle memory across the entire scale range. After a week, try improvising short 4-bar phrases using only these notes.
Experiment with simple two-chord vamps rooted on A to let the characteristic intervals of the Messiaen's Mode #4 scale come through clearly. This scale is especially effective in film scores contexts.
Banjo (5-String) Tips
Practice the A Messiaen's Mode #4 scale slowly and evenly on your instrument, focusing on tone quality for each of the 8 notes before building speed. Aim for a directionless quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.
Related Scales
The A Messiaen's Mode #4 scale contains 8 notes (A, Bb, B, D, D#, E, F, G#). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Banjo (5-String) with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for A Messiaen's Mode #4
The A Messiaen's Mode #4 scale can be played in 5 CAGED positions across the fretboard, each based on an open chord shape (C, A, G, E, D). As a 8-note scale, it also lends itself to 3-notes-per-string (3NPS) patterns that facilitate legato playing and diagonal shifting. Use the pattern selector above to isolate each position.
Explore A Messiaen's Mode #4 Further
- Browse chord progressions
- A Messiaen's Mode #4 on Guitar
- A Messiaen's Mode #4 on Ukulele
- A Messiaen's Mode #4 on Bass
- A Messiaen's Mode #4 on Piano