C Malkos Raga Guitar Scale
Guitar scale in Baritone (B Standard) tuning — fretboard diagram
C Malkos Raga in Baritone (B Standard) — Notes and Intervals
The C Malkos Raga scale is a dark and powerful night Raga used for deep meditation. On Guitar, its notes are C, Eb, F, Ab, Bb. It is intended to be performed in the late hours to explore the shadow self and create an atmosphere of profound, serious introspection. Commonly used in Indian Classical, Meditation, Dark Ambient, World. Notable players include Ravi Shankar, Hariprasad Chaurasia. Use over minor drones and pedal tones. Works beautifully with delay and reverb for ambient, meditative textures.
Notes: C, Eb, F, Ab, Bb
Intervals: 1P, 3m, 4P, 6m, 7m
Degrees: 1 b2 3 b4 b5
Formula: WH-W-WH-W-W
Number of notes: 5
Tuning: Baritone (B Standard) (B-E-A-D-F#-B)
About Baritone (B Standard) Tuning
The baritone guitar is tuned a perfect fourth lower than standard guitar (B-E-A-D-F#-B), producing a distinctly beefy tone with serious low-end depth that sits perfectly between guitar and bass. Its rich, dark voice has made it a secret weapon in film scoring, ambient music, and moody songwriting where you need that unmistakable low-end warmth without losing clarity.
Unlike simply tuning a standard guitar down (which causes floppy strings and muddy tone), the baritone guitar uses a longer scale length (typically 27"-30") designed specifically for lower tunings. This gives each note clarity and definition even in the lowest register. Session musicians, film composers, and bedroom producers alike reach for the baritone when they need dark, atmospheric textures, doom-laden riffs, or simply a different sonic palette that standard guitar can't deliver.
Notable artists: Pat Metheny, Nels Cline, Brian Setzer, Baritone session players in Nashville
Best for: Moody songwriting, film scoring, ambient textures, doom metal, and any production that needs low-end depth with clarity
Musical Character
A night raga for exploring the 'shadow self' — its omission of the 2nd and 5th creates deep, open spaces that encourage introspection and meditation.