The Man Gong scale on bass:
notes, formula and position

The Man Gong scale has 5 notes: 1 ♭3 4 ♭6 ♭7. In A, that gives A, C, D, F and G. A minor pentatonic where the minor sixth replaces the fifth: very dark.

Also called: Man Gong pentatonic.

Formula and notes

1 ♭3 4 ♭6 ♭7

The steps between the notes, from the root to the octave: step and a half – whole step – step and a half – whole step – whole step. In A:

Where the Man Gong scale comes from

It is the 3rd mode of the major pentatonic: you play the notes of the major pentatonic starting from its 3rd degree. The Man Gong scale in A therefore has the same notes as the F major pentatonic. What changes is the home note: the root A, the note your line keeps coming back to.

One position on the neck

The Man Gong scale in A, in the 5th-fret position: one finger per fret, from the 4th to the 8th fret, on all four strings. The numbers are the degrees; the root is in gold.

The same position as bass tab (fret by fret, from the low E string to the G string):

G|-5--7-|
D|-5--7-|
A|-5--8-|
E|-5--8-|

For another key, move the whole shape: the root on the E string sets the key (3rd fret for G, 8th fret for C).

The sound of the Man Gong scale

You mostly hear it in world music, ambient and metal.

Which chords to play it over

In A, the Man Gong scale fits Am7♭13. On bass, keep the root on the strong beats and use the other notes to connect the chords.

Neighbouring scales

These scales differ from the Man Gong scale by a single note. Comparing them lets you hear exactly what that note brings.

• The minor pentatonic scale: 5 instead of ♭6.

Practice it with UnitBasse

This diagram shows a single position, in a single key. In UnitBasse, this scale is shown across the whole neck and in all twelve keys, as note names, intervals or degrees, with one color per degree. You can listen to it, see the chords that go with it, switch keys in one click, and play it over a chord chart with BackTrack, the app’s backing band. The app has 69 scales in 12 families.

Frequently asked questions