Scale guide
The scale everything else is measured against.
C major is the reference scale for Western music: seven notes, no sharps or flats. It is also the best place to learn how a scale sits on the guitar neck, because the open strings of standard tuning already give you several of its notes.
Full neck · start position
C major scale
Every occurrence of the scale is marked; the start position is labelled so you can begin without hunting. Root notes are brass.
Strings top to bottom: E A D G B e · swipe the neck sideways
What is C major scale?
The C major scale contains the notes C D E F G A B. Its half steps are E–F and B–C; every other step is a whole step. That pattern of whole and half steps is the major scale formula, and it is the same pattern in every key.
The notes are C · D · E · F · G · A · B. The formula is 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7.
The start position
Start with the open position. The root C sits on the A string at fret 3 and the B string at fret 1; the open strings fill in E, G, D and B.
The labelled notes in the highlighted window are the ones to learn first. The unlabelled dots elsewhere on the neck are the same notes in other positions; ignore them until the start position is automatic.
How to practise
- Play the open position ascending, one note per beat, saying the note names out loud.
- Play it descending without looking at the diagram.
- Find every C in the open position. Those are your home notes.
- Play C–D–E–F, then E–D–C–B, listening for the half steps E–F and B–C.
- When the open position is automatic, move the same pattern up to the 5th fret and call it F major.
Where it fits
Learn it to find the notes on the neck, to understand keys, and to build melodies over C, Am, F and G. It is not the most common soloing scale in rock, but it is the map underneath the chords.
Pair it with the chord progression guide and the tuning guide. If a note sounds wrong before you blame the scale, check that the guitar is in tune.
What to do next
Play the start position for five minutes a day. When you can find the root notes without counting, move the same shape to another fret and name the new key. Use the fretboard note quiz to connect the notes to the neck.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the C major scale?
C, D, E, F, G, A and B. There are no sharps or flats in C major.
Why does C major have no sharps or flats?
The major scale pattern is whole–whole–half–whole–whole–whole–half. Starting on C, that pattern lands exactly on the natural notes, so no accidentals are needed.
Is C major the same as A minor?
They use the same seven notes, but they start in different places. C major starts on C; A natural minor starts on A. The notes are the same, the home note is different.
Do I need to learn all seven positions?
Not to start. The open position and one movable position are enough to learn the pattern. Add more positions when you can find the root notes without counting.