Major Scale (Ionian) on guitar

The major scale is the do re mi scale, the base for most Western music and for the names of every other scale.

Play A Major Scale (Ionian) on the fretboard in Guitar Upscale

About the Major Scale (Ionian)

The major scale steps up whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half. C major uses only the white keys of a piano.

Every other scale gets described against it. Dorian is major with a flat 3rd and flat 7th, Lydian is major with a raised 4th.

On guitar, learn it in one position first, then link the positions along the neck. The chords of the key come from stacking every other note of the scale.

Intervals from the root

Chords in A Major Scale (Ionian)

Stack every other note of the scale and you get one chord on each note. These chords sound at home with the scale, so they make good progressions.

Same notes, another starting note

Start the A Major Scale (Ionian) scale on another of its notes and you get these scales:

• From degree 2 (B): B Dorian Mode
• From degree 3 (C#): C# Phrygian Mode
• From degree 4 (D): D Lydian Mode
• From degree 5 (E): E Mixolydian Mode
• From degree 6 (F#): F# Natural Minor (Aeolian)
• From degree 7 (G#): G# Locrian Mode

Major Scale (Ionian) in every key

More Major scales

• Harmonic Major
• Major Pentatonic
• Dominant Pentatonic
• Lydian Mode
• Lydian Augmented
• Mixolydian Mode