East Indian scales and melodies, (called "Raga") sound amazing. The pattern I will be showing you is based upon Mixolydian mode. This scale is mostly major, but it contains a b6 and a b7 tone.  It is often referred to as the Hindu Scale and is built from the 5th mode of Melodic Minor, (Mixolydian b6).

Off of a "C Root" you have "C, D, E, F, G, Ab, and Bb." I'm going to be using it off of a root of "D" so that I can maintain an open 4th guitar string, (a "D"), in the bass for a drone pitch...

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The first thing I want to run through with you is how you can set-up this Indian scale on the neck. Let's begin by looking at this scale in position from a 12th fret / 4th guitar string "D" tonic note...

"D" Charukeshi (4th string root - in position)




Now, let's change the perspective a little by taking the scale more along the neck. To do this (in a way that will also allow us some room for our bending), we'll be laying out this scale along the 2nd string.

"D" Charukeshi (along the 2nd string root off of the 3rd fret)


Alright, now that we've covered the notes and how they look in TAB, the last thing we'll do is plot this out so that it's a geometrical pattern along our second string. So, here's that along the neck scale again, but this time, shown as a geometrical pattern on our fret board along the 2nd string...

"D" Charukeshi (2nd string root - along the neck pattern)


The study that I'm going to suggest you pursue are two main ideas; 1fast slides along the neck, as well as, 2bends at the half-steps of the scale. So, those bends would be at the 7th to 8th frets, and at the 10th to 11th frets.


My overall suggestion for practice of this scale would be to record a jam track of something simple like a droning "D" open string and study applying the fast along the neck slides (we discussed), and (most importantly) those half-step areas for the bends that make the scale really sound cool and give it that real East Indian effect.

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