B In Sen Scale

What is the B In Sen Scale?

The In Sen scale is a five-note Japanese scale with a distinctively dark, sparse character — defined by its minor 2nd from the root and the wide gaps between its upper tones. It's rooted in traditional Japanese shakuhachi and koto music but has been adopted by modern ambient and experimental guitarists for its stark, meditative quality. Here's how the B In Sen Scale lays out on the fretboard.

Notes and Positions

Japanese pentatonic with a dark, suspenseful quality. On bass, the fretboard view helps you visualize where the important tones sit for building lines across positions. Use a finger-per-fret approach first, then add shifts only when the line needs a wider range. In the key of B, the notes are: B, C, E, F#, A.

How to Use It

You'll often hear it in Japanese Traditional, Film, and Metal. A good way to internalize the sound is to sing the root, then sing a few scale degrees before you play them.

Start with the root on beat 1, add the 5th on beat 3, then work the other scale tones in as passing notes. Use the interactive fretboard above to spot repeats of the same note on different strings and frets.