C Major Scale on Guitar

  1. Browse Category
  2. Page 1:
    1. Fretboard Overview - Note Names
    2. Fretboard Overview - Intervals
    3. Modes of the C Major Scale
      1. The C Ionian Mode
      2. The D Dorian Mode
      3. The E Phrygian Mode
      4. The F Lydian Mode
      5. The G Mixolydian Mode
      6. The A Aeolian Mode
      7. The B Locrian Mode
  3. Page 2: CAGED Patterns
  4. Page 3: 3NPS Patterns
  5. Page 4: C Major Scale Triads
  6. Page 5: Pentatonic Scales in the C Major Scale
    1. A Minor Pentatonic
    2. D Minor Pentatonic
    3. E Minor Pentatonic
  7. The Major Scale - Base Topic
Image

Fretboard Overview - Note Names

The C major scale as it occurs on the guitar in standard tuning, presented with the note names displayed.
Image

Fretboard Overview - Tone Functions

The C major scale as it occurs on the guitar in standard tuning, presented with the note intervals displayed for the ionian mode.
https://fretboardknowledge.com/guitar/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2018/03/Major_Scale_-_Key_of_C_-_Tone_Functions.png
 

The Modes of the C Major Scale

C Ionian

Image

D Dorian

Image

E Phrygian

Image

F Lydian

Image

G Mixolydian

Image

A Aeolian

Image

B Locrian

Image
 

Mode #1: C Ionian

Image
Formula: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7
Image

Mode #2: D Dorian

Image

Formula: 1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - b7

An interesting observation

When you look at the 'clock' representation of this scale (the circle of notes), this scale is perfectly symmetrical.

For the musical genius and guitarist Allan Holdsworth, this inspired him to essentially base his theoretical concept around this scale as a vantage point. This simplification is one example of how luminous his perception and way of thinking was and how he must have been naturally able to reduce concepts to the bare basics.

Image

Mode #3: E Phrygian

Image

Formula: 1 - b2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - b7

Image

Mode #4: F Lydian

Image

Formula: 1 - 2 - 3 - #4 - 5 - 6 - 7

Image

Mode #5: G Mixolydian

Image

Formula: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - b7

Image

Mode #6: A Aeolian

Image

Formula: 1 - 2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - b7

This mode is also known as the Natural Minor scale. Observe that this scale is where the western musical alphabet comes from: A - B - C - D - E - F - G.

Image

Mode #7: B Locrian

Image

Formula: 1 - b2 - b3 - 4 - b5 - b6 - b7

Image

Keep Learning