Major scale modes7 notes
C Ionian (major)
Ionian (major)
- Formula
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
- Notes
- C · D · E · F · G · A · B
Bright, settled, and familiar.
Use it for: Major-key melody, harmony, and improvisation.
Fretboard reference
Scale library
Transpose 22 useful scales into every key. Compare formulas, note sets, characteristic sounds, and the harmony each scale fits.
How to read it: formulas describe each note relative to the root. Learn the sound and interval recipe first, then map it into multiple fretboard positions instead of treating one box shape as the whole scale.
Showing 22 scales in C
Major scale modes7 notes
C Dorian
Dorian
- Formula
- 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7
- Notes
- C · D · E♭ · F · G · A · B♭
Minor with a hopeful natural sixth.
Use it for: Funk, jazz, rock, and minor vamps.
Major scale modes7 notes
C Phrygian
Phrygian
- Formula
- 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7
- Notes
- C · D♭ · E♭ · F · G · A♭ · B♭
Dark and tense because of the flat second.
Use it for: Metal, flamenco-influenced music, and modal riffs.
Major scale modes7 notes
C Lydian
Lydian
- Formula
- 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7
- Notes
- C · D · E · F♯ · G · A · B
Major with a floating raised fourth.
Use it for: Dreamy major harmony and maj7♯11 sounds.
Major scale modes7 notes
C Mixolydian
Mixolydian
- Formula
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7
- Notes
- C · D · E · F · G · A · B♭
Major with a rootsy, blues-ready flat seventh.
Use it for: Dominant chords, rock, blues, and jam-band music.
Major scale modes7 notes
C Aeolian (natural minor)
Aeolian (natural minor)
- Formula
- 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7
- Notes
- C · D · E♭ · F · G · A♭ · B♭
The familiar natural-minor sound.
Use it for: Minor-key songs, riffs, and melodies.
Major scale modes7 notes
C Locrian
Locrian
- Formula
- 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7
- Notes
- C · D♭ · E♭ · F · G♭ · A♭ · B♭
Unstable minor color built around a flat fifth.
Use it for: Half-diminished chords and deliberate tension.
Minor scales7 notes
C Harmonic minor
Harmonic minor
- Formula
- 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7
- Notes
- C · D · E♭ · F · G · A♭ · B
Minor with an exotic pull from the raised seventh.
Use it for: Minor-key dominant harmony, classical music, and metal.
Minor scales7 notes
C Melodic minor
Melodic minor
- Formula
- 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7
- Notes
- C · D · E♭ · F · G · A · B
Minor at the bottom, major-like at the top.
Use it for: Jazz minor harmony and modern melodic colors.
Minor scales7 notes
C Phrygian dominant
Phrygian dominant
- Formula
- 1 ♭2 3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7
- Notes
- C · D♭ · E · F · G · A♭ · B♭
Dramatic major-third sound with a flat second.
Use it for: The V chord in harmonic minor, metal, and flamenco colors.
Pentatonic & blues5 notes
C Major pentatonic
Major pentatonic
- Formula
- 1 2 3 5 6
- Notes
- C · D · E · G · A
Open and consonant with no half steps.
Use it for: Country, pop, folk, and major-key soloing.
Pentatonic & blues5 notes
C Minor pentatonic
Minor pentatonic
- Formula
- 1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7
- Notes
- C · E♭ · F · G · B♭
The essential guitar soloing vocabulary.
Use it for: Rock, blues, funk, and minor-key improvisation.
Pentatonic & blues6 notes
C Major blues
Major blues
- Formula
- 1 2 ♭3 3 5 6
- Notes
- C · D · E♭ · E · G · A
Major pentatonic with a chromatic blue note.
Use it for: Country blues, swing, gospel, and soul.
Pentatonic & blues6 notes
C Minor blues
Minor blues
- Formula
- 1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭7
- Notes
- C · E♭ · F · G♭ · G · B♭
Minor pentatonic with the expressive flat fifth.
Use it for: Blues and rock vocabulary over minor or dominant harmony.
Symmetric scales6 notes
C Whole tone
Whole tone
- Formula
- 1 2 3 ♯4 ♯5 ♭7
- Notes
- C · D · E · F♯ · G♯ · B♭
Dreamlike and rootless; every step is whole.
Use it for: Augmented chords and altered dominant passages.
Symmetric scales8 notes
C Whole-half diminished
Whole-half diminished
- Formula
- 1 2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 6 7
- Notes
- C · D · E♭ · F · G♭ · A♭ · A · B
Alternating whole and half steps.
Use it for: Diminished seventh chords and passing tension.
Symmetric scales8 notes
C Half-whole diminished
Half-whole diminished
- Formula
- 1 ♭2 ♯2 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7
- Notes
- C · D♭ · D♯ · E · F♯ · G · A · B♭
Alternating half and whole steps.
Use it for: Dominant 7♭9, 7♯9, and 13♭9 sounds.
Symmetric scales12 notes
C Chromatic
Chromatic
- Formula
- All 12 tones
- Notes
- C · C♯ · D · D♯ · E · F · F♯ · G · G♯ · A · A♯ · B
Every pitch class in the octave.
Use it for: Passing tones, outside playing, and fretboard study.
Other useful scales8 notes
C Bebop dominant
Bebop dominant
- Formula
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7 7
- Notes
- C · D · E · F · G · A · B♭ · B
Mixolydian plus a major seventh passing tone.
Use it for: Even eighth-note lines over dominant seventh chords.
Other useful scales7 notes
C Altered
Altered
- Formula
- 1 ♭2 ♯2 3 ♭5 ♯5 ♭7
- Notes
- C · D♭ · D♯ · E · G♭ · G♯ · B♭
Maximum dominant tension with altered ninths and fifths.
Use it for: Altered dominant chords resolving by a fifth.
Other useful scales7 notes
C Lydian dominant
Lydian dominant
- Formula
- 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 ♭7
- Notes
- C · D · E · F♯ · G · A · B♭
Bright Lydian color over a dominant foundation.
Use it for: 7♯11 chords and non-resolving dominants.
Other useful scales5 notes
C Hirajoshi
Hirajoshi
- Formula
- 1 2 ♭3 5 ♭6
- Notes
- C · D · E♭ · G · A♭
A spacious Japanese pentatonic color.
Use it for: Distinctive melodic writing and interval studies.