The name ‘Arabic Scale’ has been given to several different scales, each of which has an ‘Middle Eastern’ sound when played. All of the scales below have been referred to as ‘Arabic’. However, although they may have been used in traditional Arabic music, it’s unlikely that the musicians were thinking in terms of western theory or notation.
The scales included here are the: double harmonic scale, Phrygian dominant scale, Phrygian scale, and the diminished scale (half-whole step).
On this page, each Arabic scale type is presented in notation, guitar TAB and guitar diagrams, to enable you to incorporate them in your improvisation.
If you want to learn these scales in more than one position, take a look at our . It contains these and many other scales in multiple fretboard positions, allowing you to play them all over the neck.
This strange and rather beautiful scale possibly has the biggest claim to be the ‘Arabic Scale’. With the scale spelling 1, b2, 3, 4, 5, b6, 7 it is very similar to the Phrygian dominant scale, but with a raised seventh note. The scale has two augmented second intervals, giving it its enigmatic quality. For more information and diagrams for other positions see: .
The Half-Whole step diminished scale is another strange, ambiguous-sounding scale. It is octatonic (made up of eight notes), and is formed by alternate half and whole tone steps. Scale spelling is as follows: 1, b2, b3, 3, #4, 5, 6, b7. More info here: .