Six Strings
In this section: Scales
Scales

E major scale

Also called the Ionian mode: it’s the first of the seven modes.

The seven notes of the key of E major: root, second, major third, fourth, fifth, sixth and major seventh. The reference scale of Western music, where chords and melodies come from.

Notes
E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D♯
Formula
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Style
All styles
Difficulty
Intermediate

On the neck

Every note of the scale on the neck (choose 12, 15 or 19 frets). Click to listen.

EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯ED♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯AG♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯BC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯G♯AB
EF♯G♯ABC♯D♯EABC♯D♯EF♯G♯AD♯EF♯G♯ABC♯G♯ABC♯D♯EF♯BC♯D♯EF♯G♯ABEF♯G♯ABC♯D♯E

High E at the top, just like in tab.Neck seen from the front, headstock at the top: low E on the left, just like a chord diagram.

E (root note)

Play the scale notes over it. Open in the Studio

Chords that go with it

The chords built on the notes of the scale: improvise with this scale over any progression that uses them.

E majorI
F♯ minorii
G♯ minoriii
A majorIV
B majorV
C♯ minorvi

Progressions to use it on

I, V, vi, IV: the pop progression
I, IV, V: the backbone of folk and rock
I, vi, IV, V: the ’50s progression

▶ Play it in the Studio

Loop the first one and improvise over it:

The pop strumE · B · C♯m · A

Learn the pop strum step by step →

All 7 positions

Seven positions, one for each note of the scale, with three notes per string: the most regular way to cover the major scale across the whole neck. Position 1 starts on the root, on the 6th string.

Position 1: frets 0 to 5

It also works an octave higher, frets 12 to 17.

EF♯G♯AABC♯D♯D♯EF♯G♯G♯ABC♯BC♯D♯EEF♯G♯A

High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.

e|-------------------------------2-4-5-|
B|-------------------------2-4-5-------|
G|-------------------1-2-4-------------|
D|-------------1-2-4-------------------|
A|-------0-2-4-------------------------|
E|-0-2-4-------------------------------|

Position 2: frets 2 to 7

F♯G♯ABBC♯D♯ED♯EF♯G♯AG♯ABC♯D♯C♯D♯EF♯F♯G♯AB

High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.

e|-------------------------------4-5-7-|
B|-------------------------4-5-7-------|
G|-------------------2-4-6-------------|
D|-------------2-4-6-------------------|
A|-------2-4-6-------------------------|
E|-2-4-5-------------------------------|

Position 3: frets 4 to 9

G♯ABC♯C♯D♯EF♯F♯G♯ABBC♯D♯ED♯EF♯G♯AG♯ABC♯

High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.

e|-------------------------------5-7-9-|
B|-------------------------5-7-9-------|
G|-------------------4-6-8-------------|
D|-------------4-6-7-------------------|
A|-------4-6-7-------------------------|
E|-4-5-7-------------------------------|

Position 4: frets 5 to 11

G♯ABC♯D♯EC♯D♯EF♯G♯AF♯G♯ABC♯BC♯D♯EF♯D♯EF♯G♯ABG♯ABC♯D♯E

High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.

e|--------------------------------7-9-11-|
B|-------------------------7-9-10--------|
G|-------------------6-8-9---------------|
D|-------------6-7-9---------------------|
A|-------6-7-9---------------------------|
E|-5-7-9---------------------------------|

Position 5: frets 7 to 12

BC♯D♯ED♯EF♯G♯AG♯ABC♯D♯C♯D♯EF♯G♯F♯G♯ABBC♯D♯E

High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.

e|-------------------------------------9-11-12-|
B|-----------------------------9-10-12---------|
G|----------------------8-9-11-----------------|
D|---------------7-9-11------------------------|
A|--------7-9-11-------------------------------|
E|-7-9-11--------------------------------------|

Position 6: frets 9 to 14

C♯D♯EF♯F♯G♯ABBC♯D♯ED♯EF♯G♯AG♯ABC♯C♯D♯EF♯

High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.

e|------------------------------------------11-12-14-|
B|---------------------------------10-12-14----------|
G|-------------------------9-11-13-------------------|
D|-----------------9-11-13---------------------------|
A|---------9-11-12-----------------------------------|
E|-9-11-12-------------------------------------------|

Position 7: frets 11 to 16

D♯EF♯G♯AG♯ABC♯C♯D♯EF♯F♯G♯ABABC♯D♯ED♯EF♯G♯A

High E at the top, just like in tab; the numbers under the neck are fret numbers.

e|----------------------------------------------12-14-16-|
B|-------------------------------------12-14-16----------|
G|----------------------------11-13-14-------------------|
D|-------------------11-13-14----------------------------|
A|----------11-12-14-------------------------------------|
E|-11-12-14----------------------------------------------|