A# Enigmatic Piano Scale
Piano scale diagramAdvanced
A# Enigmatic Scale — Notes and Intervals
The A# Enigmatic scale was invented as a musical puzzle and famously used by Giuseppe Verdi. On Piano, the notes are A#, B, D, E, F#, G#, A. It has an unstable and surreal sound because it lacks the traditional fourth and fifth degrees, creating a gliding effect that challenges the listener's expectations. Commonly used in Classical, Experimental, Film Scores. Notable players include Giuseppe Verdi, Igor Stravinsky. Not chord-specific — this is a melodic scale for creating surreal, non-functional passages. Use over sustained pedal tones or atonal contexts.
Notes: A#, B, D, E, F#, G#, A
Intervals: 1P, 2m, 3M, 5d, 6m, 7m, 7M
Degrees: 1 b2 3 4 b5 b6 7
Formula: H-WH-W-W-W-H-H
Number of notes: 7
Musical Character
Invented as a musical puzzle — lacks the traditional 4th and 5th degrees, creating a gliding, rootless sensation. Verdi used it in his Ave Maria to challenge conventional harmony.
Genres & Notable Artists
Genres: Classical, Experimental, Film Scores
Notable players: Giuseppe Verdi, Igor Stravinsky
How to Use the A# Enigmatic Scale
Not chord-specific — this is a melodic scale for creating surreal, non-functional passages. Use over sustained pedal tones or atonal contexts.
Origin & Background
In 1888, the Milan Musical Gazette published this 'Scala Enigmata' as a challenge for composers to harmonize. Giuseppe Verdi answered with his choral 'Ave Maria' (1888), treating the scale as a cantus firmus. Although Verdi regarded it as a mere exercise, the piece became one of his most frequently performed choral works.
How to Play A# Enigmatic on Piano
On piano, the A# Enigmatic scale uses 3 black keys. Start with your thumb on A# and use the black keys as landmarks for consistent finger placement. Standard major or minor fingering patterns apply.
The A# Enigmatic scale contains 3 sharps (A#, F#, G#). This scale does not follow a traditional major or minor key signature, so reading from sheet music may require accidentals.
Practice Routine — Exercises for Playing
Begin by playing the A# Enigmatic scale ascending and descending at 100 BPM using a metronome, one note per beat. Once comfortable, practice in thirds (A#-D, B-E) to build intervallic familiarity. Spend 5 minutes daily on this pattern before increasing tempo by 10 BPM.
Exotic scales like the Enigmatic often work best as a melodic layer over a single root drone on A#. Let the unique intervals speak for themselves without frequent chord changes. This scale is especially effective in classical contexts.
Piano Tips
At the piano, try voicing the A# Enigmatic scale in the left hand as blocked intervals (thirds or sixths) while the right hand plays the melody. This develops your harmonic ear and comping skills simultaneously. Aim for a surreal quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.
Related Scales
The A# Enigmatic scale contains 7 notes (A#, B, D, E, F#, G#, A). Use the interactive fretboard diagram above to explore each shape and pattern on Piano. Practice ascending and descending from the root note to learn the sound of this scale.