A Piongio Guitar Scale
Guitar scale in Open C tuning — fretboard diagram
A Piongio in Open C — Notes and Intervals
The A Piongio scale is a Vietnamese pentatonic scale used in the Northern modal system. On Guitar, its notes are A, B, D, E, F#, G. It is associated with feelings of gaiety, liveliness, and solemnity, serving as a fundamental structure in traditional Southeast Asian art music. Commonly used in Vietnamese, Southeast Asian, World, Folk. Notable players include Trinh Cong Son. Use over sus chords, open tunings, and folk-style accompaniment. The lack of a 3rd allows harmonic flexibility.
Notes: A, B, D, E, F#, G
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 4P, 5P, 6M, 7m
Degrees: 1 2 3 4 5 b6
Formula: W-WH-W-W-H-W
Number of notes: 6
Tuning: Open C (C-G-C-G-C-E)
About Open C Tuning
Open C tuning (C-G-C-G-C-E) produces a C major chord when strummed open, with an enormous bass depth from the low C string (two whole steps below standard E). The tuning spans a vast tonal range that gives compositions an almost orchestral scope, making it a favorite for both delicate fingerstyle and crushing heavy music.
John Butler's 'Ocean' — one of the most famous modern fingerstyle compositions — is performed in Open C, showcasing the tuning's incredible dynamic range from thundering bass to shimmering harmonics. Devin Townsend uses Open C extensively across his catalog for its massive, wall-of-sound potential. Jimmy Page used it on Led Zeppelin's 'Friends' from Led Zeppelin III. Soundgarden also explored Open C. The three C strings and two G strings create powerful octave resonances that make even simple chord shapes sound huge.
Notable artists: John Butler, Devin Townsend, Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), Soundgarden, William Ackerman
Best for: Cinematic fingerstyle compositions, progressive metal walls of sound, post-rock textures, and any music that needs enormous tonal range from deep bass to bright treble
Musical Character
A pentatonic-based scale from the Vietnamese Northern modal system. Its omission of the 3rd creates an open, ambiguous quality that works over both major and minor harmony.
Explore This Scale in Other Tunings
- A Piongio in Standard Tuning
- A Piongio in Drop D
- A Piongio in DADGAD
- A Piongio in Open G
- A Piongio in Baritone (B Standard)
- A Piongio in 7-string
- A Piongio in 8-string
- A Piongio in Drop C
- A Piongio in Drop B
- A Piongio in Open D
- A Piongio in Half Step Down
- A Piongio in Open E
- A Piongio in Open A
- A Piongio in Double Drop D