F# Enigmatic Guitar Scale
Guitar scale in DADGAD tuning — fretboard diagram
F# Enigmatic in DADGAD — Notes and Intervals
The F# Enigmatic scale was invented as a musical puzzle and famously used by Giuseppe Verdi. On Guitar, the notes are F#, G, A#, C, D, E, F. 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: F#, G, A#, C, D, E, F
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
Tuning: DADGAD (D-A-D-G-A-D)
About DADGAD Tuning
DADGAD tuning creates an open Dsus4 chord when strummed open, producing a hauntingly beautiful, droning sound that has become synonymous with Celtic folk music and modern acoustic songwriting. The tuning's natural resonance and overtones make even simple fingerpicking patterns sound rich and complex.
Popularized by Davey Graham in the 1960s and later championed by Pierre Bensusan and Jimmy Page, DADGAD has become one of the most beloved alternate tunings for acoustic guitarists. Its suspended quality — neither clearly major nor minor — creates an ethereal, meditative atmosphere that invites exploration. The tuning excels at creating drone-based arrangements where open strings ring against fretted notes.
Notable artists: Pierre Bensusan, Jimmy Page, Andy McKee, Davey Graham, Laurence Juber
Best for: Celtic folk, acoustic songwriting, drone-based fingerpicking, and meditative compositions
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.