B Egyptian Guitar Scale

B Egyptian in Open C — Notes and Intervals

The B Egyptian scale, also known as the Suspended Pentatonic, is widely used in Middle Eastern and African musical traditions. On Guitar, it contains the notes B, C#, E, F#, A. It has a stable, folk-like quality and is often used in wind chime tunings because of its inherently calm and balanced sound. Commonly used in Middle Eastern, World, Ambient, Film Scores. Notable players include Oud masters, Peter Gabriel. Use over sus2, sus4, power chords. The absence of 3rd and 7th makes it harmonically ambiguous — works over major or minor contexts.

Notes: B, C#, E, F#, A

Intervals: 1P, 2M, 4P, 5P, 7m

Degrees: 1 2 3 4 b5

Formula: W-WH-W-WH-W

Number of notes: 5

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

Also called the Suspended Pentatonic — its omission of the 3rd and 7th creates a stable, folk-like quality. The scale of wind chimes and desert landscapes.

Chord Progressions Using This Scale

• ♭VII – IV – I (Gospel Walk-Up)Blues — Spiritual & Uplifting

Explore This Scale in Other Tunings

• B Egyptian in Standard Tuning
• B Egyptian in Drop D
• B Egyptian in DADGAD
• B Egyptian in Open G
• B Egyptian in Baritone (B Standard)
• B Egyptian in 7-string
• B Egyptian in 8-string
• B Egyptian in Drop C
• B Egyptian in Drop B
• B Egyptian in Open D
• B Egyptian in Half Step Down
• B Egyptian in Open E
• B Egyptian in Open A
• B Egyptian in Double Drop D

← All Guitar scales in Open C tuning