Learning the C Major Scale is a worthy investment; it will serve you well for a lifetime!
As you practice this scale, you'll be playing it Per String, with CAGED, 3NPS and 4NPS fingerings.
You will you will learn all about Modes, memorise the shapes and inversions of Closed and Wide Triads, you'll learn all of the Seventh Chords, Sus Chords, Arpeggios and Scale Patterns.
Check out these chord-scale studies, well suited for beginning and intermediate players.
You'll even learn about scales hidden inside this scale, like the various pentatonic scales which exist within the C Major Scale!
As you practice and jam, use the backing tracks to enjoy and master it all.
Fretboard Overview - Note Names
The C Major Scale as it occurs on the guitar in standard tuning, presented with the note names displayed.
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.
The Modes of the C Major Scale
C Ionian
D Dorian
E Phrygian
F Lydian
G Mixolydian
A Aeolian
B Locrian
Mode #1: C Ionian
Formula: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7
Mode #2: D Dorian
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.
Mode #3: E Phrygian
Formula: 1 - b2 - b3 - 4 - 5 - b6 - b7
Mode #4: F Lydian
Formula: 1 - 2 - 3 - #4 - 5 - 6 - 7
Mode #5: G Mixolydian
Formula: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - b7
Mode #6: A Aeolian
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.
Mode #7: B Locrian
Formula: 1 - b2 - b3 - 4 - b5 - b6 - b7