Scales

The major scale

Major scale construction (key of C):

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th

C D E F G A B C
tone tone half tone tone tone tone half tone

Fret 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

1st E F F#/ Gb G G#/ Ab A A#/ Bb B C C#/ Db D D#/ Eb E F

2nd B C C#/ Db D D#/ Eb E F F#/ Gb G G#/ Ab A A#/ Bb B C

3rd G G#/ Ab A A#/ Bb B C C#/ Db D D#/ Eb E F F#/ Gb G G#/ Ab

4th D D#/ Eb E F F#/ Gb G G#/ Ab A A#/ Bb B C C#/ Db D D#/ Eb

5th A A#/ Bb B C C#/ Db D D#/ Eb E F F#/ Gb G G#/ Ab A A#/ Bb

6th E F F#/ Gb G G#/ Ab A A#/ Bb B C C#/ Db D D#/ Eb E F

Hand fingers are:

thumb m f
t l r
forefinger f
middle finger m
ring finger r
little finger
t
l

4
Starting from Root note:

‐ 6th string

f r l
f r l
f m l
f m l
f r l
f r l

‐ 5th string

f r l
f m l
f m l
f r l
f r l

5
Major modes

Ionian
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th
C D E F G A B C

f m
f r l
f r l

Dorian
1st 2nd I3rd 4th 5th 6th I7th 8th

C D EI F G A BI C

f r
f r l
f r l

6
Phygian
1st I2nd I3rd 4th 5th I6th I7th 8th

C DI EI F G AI BI C

f r
f r l
f m l

Lydian
1st 2nd 3rd G4th 5th 6th 7th 8th

C D E FG G A B C

f m
f m l
f r l

7
Mixolydian
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th I7th 8th

C D E F G A BI C

f r
f r l
f r l

Aeolian (minor)
1st 2nd I3rd 4th 5th I6th I7th 8th

C D EI F G AI BI C

f r
f r l
f r l

8
Locrian
1st I2nd I3rd 4th I5th I6th I7th 8th

C DI EI F GI AI BI C

f r
f m l
f l
m