D Balinese Guitar Scale
Guitar scale in Drop D tuning — fretboard diagram
D Balinese in Drop D — Notes and Intervals
The D Balinese scale is a traditional five-note tuning from the Gamelan tradition, also known as Pelog. On Guitar, it contains the notes D, Eb, F, G, A, Bb, C#. It creates a dark, meditative, and distinctively Southeast Asian atmosphere that sounds haunting and shimmering. Commonly used in Gamelan, World, Ambient, Film Scores. Notable players include Colin McPhee, Steve Reich. Use over drones and sustained bass notes. Traditional Gamelan music doesn't use chords — the scale is inherently melodic and interlocking.
Notes: D, Eb, F, G, A, Bb, C#
Intervals: 1P, 2m, 3m, 4P, 5P, 6m, 7M
Degrees: 1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 7
Formula: H-W-W-W-H-WH-H
Number of notes: 7
Tuning: Drop D (D-A-D-G-B-E)
About Drop D Tuning
Drop D tuning lowers the 6th string from E to D, giving you instant access to heavy power chords with a single finger. This deceptively simple change opens up a world of heavier riffs, deeper bass notes, and new chord voicings that are impossible in standard tuning. The low D string creates a powerful foundation for rhythm playing while keeping the rest of the fretboard familiar.
Drop D is one of the most versatile alternate tunings in modern music. From the crunchy riffs of grunge and alternative rock to the thunderous breakdowns of metal, this tuning has shaped the sound of countless iconic songs. It's also surprisingly useful for fingerpicking and acoustic arrangements where you need a deep bass drone.
Notable artists: Foo Fighters, Soundgarden, Rage Against the Machine, Tool, Killswitch Engage
Best for: Power chords, heavy riffs, drop-tuned metal rhythm, and acoustic arrangements with a deep bass drone
Musical Character
A Pelog-related tuning from Balinese Gamelan that creates a dark, meditative atmosphere with its distinctively non-Western intervals.