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Scale Explorer

C Major (Ionian)

Full neck · 6-String Guitar · 7 notes · R – M2 – M3 – P4 – P5 – M6 – M7

E2A2D3G3B3E4035791215EFGABCDEFGABCDEFGABCDEFGABCDEFGABCDEFGABCDEFGABCDEFGABCDEFG

Low strings are at the bottom. Tap any note to hear it.

How to Use the Scale Explorer

  1. Pick a root note and a scale type (Major, Minor Pentatonic, Blues, etc.).
  2. Choose your instrument and tuning to see the scale mapped to your fretboard.
  3. Switch between Full Neck (all positions at once), Positions (5-fret boxes), and Piano views.
  4. Tap any note on the fretboard or keyboard to hear it.
  5. Hit Play to hear the scale ascend and then descend. The sounding note lights up on the diagram.

What Is a Scale?

A scale is a set of notes arranged in order by pitch. Scales are the raw material of melody. Most melodies in Western music use notes from a single scale. Learning scales unlocks improvisation, songwriting, and understanding how music works harmonically.

Each scale has a formula, a pattern of intervals (whole steps and half steps) that stays the same regardless of which note you start on. The major scale formula is W-W-H-W-W-W-H (whole-whole-half-whole-whole-whole-half). Start on C and you get C-D-E-F-G-A-B. Start on G and you get G-A-B-C-D-E-F#.

Scales Included

  • Major (Ionian): The reference scale. Every other scale here is described by how it differs from this one.
  • Natural Minor (Aeolian): Flat 3, flat 6 and flat 7. Same notes as its relative major: A minor and C major.
  • Major Pentatonic: 5-note major scale. Five notes with no half steps, so nothing clashes hard. Country and pop leads live here.
  • Minor Pentatonic: The go-to for rock, blues, and pop soloing.
  • Blues: Minor pentatonic plus the b5. In A, that is Eb. Bend into it or pass through it. It rarely works as a place to rest.
  • Dorian: Minor with a major 6th. “So What” and “Oye Como Va.”
  • Mixolydian: Major with a flat 7th. Classic rock, blues, and country.
  • Lydian: Major with a raised 4th. Dreamy, floaty, cinematic.
  • Phrygian: Minor with a flat 2nd. Metal riffs and flamenco. Flamenco often raises the 3rd as well.
  • Harmonic Minor: Natural minor with a raised 7th, which gives you the major V chord: E7 in A minor.
  • Melodic Minor: Minor with raised 6th and 7th. Classical players often drop back to natural minor coming down. Jazz players keep it both ways.
  • Diminished: Eight notes in alternating steps. Half-whole fits a dominant 7 with altered tones. Whole-half fits a dim7.
  • Whole Tone: Symmetrical 6-note scale. All whole steps, so there are only two of them. Debussy, and over a 7#5 in jazz.

Full Neck vs. Positions

The Full Neck view shows every note of the scale across the entire fretboard. This is how the scale actually exists on your instrument, continuous and connected.

The Positions view breaks the scale into manageable 5-fret boxes. This is how most guitarists learn scales, one position at a time. Each position covers the same notes as the others, just in a different area of the neck. The goal is to eventually connect all positions so you can play the scale anywhere.

  • Practice in one key across the neck, not one box in many keys. Start each run on a note other than the root so the shape does not become a habit.
  • To hear a mode, hold its root as a drone. D Dorian over a low D and C major over a low C use the same notes but sound different.

Color-Coded Intervals

Every note is color-coded by its interval from the root:

  • Red = Root (R), the home note of the scale or chord
  • Orange = 2nds, yellow = 3rds
  • Green = perfect 4th, blue = perfect 5th
  • Indigo = 6ths, pink = 7ths
  • Purple = b5, #4 or tritone
  • On piano, the black keys stay gray. A lighter gray means that flat or sharp is in the scale or chord.

This color system helps you see the structure of the scale. Root notes and 5ths jump out immediately, making it easier to orient yourself on the fretboard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which scale should I learn first?

Start with the Minor Pentatonic. It has only 5 notes, it falls neatly under the fingers, and it is the basis of most rock and blues soloing. A minor pentatonic works over a whole 12-bar in A. It clashes over Amaj7, whose C# fights the C. Once comfortable, add the “blue note” to get the Blues scale.

What's the difference between a scale and a mode?

A mode is a scale started on a different note. C Major and D Dorian contain the same notes (C-D-E-F-G-A-B) but sound different because the emphasis shifts. The mode determines which note feels like “home.”

How do I practice scales on guitar?

Learn one position at a time. Play it ascending and descending with a metronome. Once you can play it smoothly, learn the next position and practice connecting them. Use the Positions view to see each box clearly.

Do these scales work for bass / ukulele / banjo / mandolin?

Yes. Select your instrument from the dropdown and the fretboard adapts to its tuning and string count. The same scale theory applies to every instrument.

Can I hear the scale?

Yes. Tap individual notes to hear them, or hit the Play button to hear the full scale up and back down. Audio runs in your browser via the Web Audio API.

Is this free?

Yes. No signup and no downloads. Everything runs in your browser.

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