Guitar UpscaleNeapolitan Major scale on guitar
Neapolitan major is melodic minor with a flat second, a mix of a dark start and a bright top.
| Notes in A | A Bb C D E F# G# |
|---|---|
| Formula | 1 b2 b3 4 5 6 7 |
| Steps | H W W W W W H (W whole step, H half step) |
| Note count | 7 |
| Style in the app | Various Exotic, scale "Neapolitan Major" |
Play the A Neapolitan Major scale on the fretboard in Guitar Upscale
About the Neapolitan Major scale
The notes are root, flat 2nd, flat 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th. Despite the name, its 3rd is minor.
The major 6th and 7th give a rising, bright top over the dark flat 2nd and flat 3rd.
Use it over a minor chord with a major 7th, with the flat 2nd as a passing note.
Intervals from the root
| Degree | Interval | Semitones | In A |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Root | 0 | A |
| b2 | Minor 2nd | 1 | Bb |
| b3 | Minor 3rd | 3 | C |
| 4 | Perfect 4th | 5 | D |
| 5 | Perfect 5th | 7 | E |
| 6 | Major 6th | 9 | F# |
| 7 | Major 7th | 11 | G# |
Chords in the A Neapolitan Major scale
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.
| Degree | Triad | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| i | Am | AmMaj7 |
| bII+ | Bbaug | Bbmaj7#5 |
| bIII+ | Caug | C7#5 |
| IV | D | D7 |
| V | E(b5) | E7b5 |
| vi° | F#dim | F#m7b5 |
| VII | none | none |
Same notes, another starting note
Start the A Neapolitan Major scale on another of its notes and you get these scales:
- From degree b2 (Bb): Bb Leading Whole Tone scale
- From degree 4 (D): D Lydian Minor scale
- From degree 5 (E): E Arabian scale
Neapolitan Major scale in every key
| Key | Notes | Play it |
|---|---|---|
| C | C Db Eb F G A B | Open |
| C# | C# D E F# G# A# B# | Open |
| D | D Eb F G A B C# | Open |
| Eb | Eb Fb Gb Ab Bb C D | Open |
| E | E F G A B C# D# | Open |
| F | F Gb Ab Bb C D E | Open |
| F# | F# G A B C# D# E# | Open |
| G | G Ab Bb C D E F# | Open |
| G# | G# A B C# D# E# G | Open |
| A | A Bb C D E F# G# | Open |
| Bb | Bb Cb Db Eb F G A | Open |
| B | B C D E F# G# A# | Open |