fuaranScale Mastery
SCALE · ON PIANO

A Yo

Japanese 5-note country-folk shamisen scale — 1 2 4 5 6. The bright counterpart to In Sen.

MEIMIDIHumdrum
Choose a root
Tempo120 bpm

Audio source: tonejs-instruments by Nick Brosowsky (MIT)

Engraved by Verovio 6.2.0-43f8060 5 title A Yo Verovio
Keyboard
ABDEAF♯
Related scales
Same scale, other instruments
Same scale, other tonics
Modes built on this tonic
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Theory reference
Questions
What notes are in the A Yo scale?

The A Yo scale uses the notes A, B, D, E, F♯ (one octave; the pattern repeats at higher registers).

What's the Yo scale formula?

The Yo scale follows the interval pattern W W+H W W W+H, where W = whole step (2 semitones) and H = half step (1 semitone). Apply that pattern starting on A to get the A Yo scale.

What chords work over A Yo?

Try chord pairings derived from the scale's third, fifth, and seventh degrees as roots — they share the most diatonic notes.

How do I finger A Yo on Piano?

On piano, scales typically use a 1-2-3 / 1-2-3-4 thumb-under pattern for white-key scales. Black-key scales (F♯, G♭, etc.) shift the thumb-under positions onto white keys for ergonomic clearance. Hanon Exercise No. 1 and Czerny Op. 599 No. 1 work through the canonical pattern.

When would I use the Yo scale?

Japanese 5-note country-folk shamisen scale — 1 2 4 5 6. The bright counterpart to In Sen.