A Kumoi at a glance
Kumoi is a beloved Japanese pentatonic that anime, game and film composers reach for when they want a Japanese flavour without the obvious cliché of Hirajōshi. Sounds calm and slightly ambiguous. Built on the root A, the scale takes on the specific colour and pitch range of that key - making it especially useful in genres and registers where A is a comfortable tonal centre.
| Notes | A B C E F♯ |
|---|---|
| Formula | 1P · 2M · 3m · 5P · 6M |
| Step pattern | W H 2W W W+H |
A Kumoi on the piano
Improvisation drone · A
Loop the root note as a pad to practice improvising over this scale.
On the piano A Kumoi uses one black key (F♯) and four white.
A · B · C · E · F♯
Try A Kumoi on the virtual piano
Free, in your browser: play with the mouse, your computer keyboard or a USB MIDI keyboard. No sign-up.
A Kumoi on the guitar
A Kumoi - fr 0–12
A Kumoi on the staff
Notes of the A Kumoi scale
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | unison1P | 0 | |
| 2 | B | major 2nd2M | 2 | |
| 3 | C | minor 3rd3m | 3 | |
| 4 | E | perfect 5th5P | 7 | |
| 5 | F♯ | major 6th6M | 9 |
What makes A Kumoi different
Kumoi (1, 2, ♭3, 5, 6) has a minor third but a major sixth, and no fourth or seventh. That pairing is the Dorian colour, and every note of Kumoi belongs to Dorian on the same root. Its only half step, between 2 and ♭3, sits low in the scale, and above it the scale moves in a major third, a whole step and a minor third. Hirajōshi has the same shape except for the sixth: ♭6 there, 6 here. On A, A Kumoi is A Dorian (A B C D E F♯ G) without D and G.
How to use the A Kumoi scale
Because A Kumoi has fewer or more than seven notes, it doesn't produce a standard set of seven diatonic triads. Instead, build chords by stacking thirds within the scale or use it as a melodic colour over chords drawn from a related diatonic key.
Kumoi is a beloved Japanese pentatonic that anime, game and film composers reach for when they want a Japanese flavour without the obvious cliché of Hirajōshi. Sounds calm and slightly ambiguous.
Practice tips
Practise Kumoi as four-note phrases that lean on the major sixth — it's the colour that distinguishes Kumoi from a plain minor pentatonic.
Formula & step pattern
The A Kumoi scale follows Japanese pentatonic with intervals 1, 2, ♭3, 5, 6 — minor third softened by major second and major sixth. Step pattern: W - H - 2W - W - W+H. Intervals from the root: 1P · 2M · 3m · 5P · 6M. Memorising the formula lets you transpose the scale to any other root note quickly.
Where you will hear A Kumoi
Start with the music described above: listen for A Kumoi in it and transcribe a few short phrases by ear. It's the quickest way to learn how the scale sounds.
Questions people ask
What notes are in the A Kumoi scale?
The A Kumoi scale contains A, B, C, E and F♯.
What is the formula for the A Kumoi scale?
A Kumoi follows Japanese pentatonic with intervals 1, 2, ♭3, 5, 6 — minor third softened by major second and major sixth.
Is A Kumoi a major or minor scale?
A Kumoi is a kumoi scale. Japanese pentatonic scale (1, 2, ♭3, 5, 6) — minor third with a major second and major sixth, drifting and meditative.
What chords belong to the A Kumoi scale?
A Kumoi doesn't produce a standard seven-chord diatonic set. Use chords from a related diatonic scale instead.
Which genres use A Kumoi?
Kumoi is a beloved Japanese pentatonic that anime, game and film composers reach for when they want a Japanese flavour without the obvious cliché of Hirajōshi. Sounds calm and slightly ambiguous.
How do you play the A Kumoi scale on the piano?
On the piano A Kumoi uses one black key (F♯) and four white.
What is the difference between A Kumoi and A Dorian?
On A, A Kumoi is A Dorian (A B C D E F♯ G) without D and G.
How do I practise the A Kumoi scale?
Practise Kumoi as four-note phrases that lean on the major sixth — it's the colour that distinguishes Kumoi from a plain minor pentatonic.