The Japanese In-sen scale

The Japanese in-sen scale is an interesting and exotic substitute for the Phrygian mode. This traditional 5 note pentatonic scale has a really strong oriental sound to it. Try using this scale over the dark sounding sus4b9 chord shown in exercise 3. This scale was sometimes used by the jazz saxophonist John Coltrane and is based upon the tuning of the Japanese Koto.

The fingering of this scale is pretty tricky but it is certainly a really melodic scale once you get the hang of it.

This five note scale contains the intervals:

1, b2, 4, 5, b7

Exercise 1

Exercise 1 is the first position of the Em in sen scale. Like most pentatonics, it is best played two notes per string

Exercise 2

Exercise 2 is the second position of the Em in sen scale.

Exercise 3

This Emsus4b9 chord really brings out the dark and exotic sound of the in sen scale.