E F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D♯ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 7 positions Position 1 at frets 0-5
The major scale is the do re mi of Western music: the melody of most pop, folk and country songs, and the yardstick every other scale is measured against. On the guitar it falls into 7 positions. Position 1 starts on the root, frets 0-5. The root E is at fret 0 and 12 on the low E string and fret 7 on the A string.
e|-------------------------------2-4-5-| B|-------------------------2-4-5-------| G|-------------------1-2-4-------------| D|-------------1-2-4-------------------| A|-------0-2-4-------------------------| E|-0-2-4-------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------4-5-7-| B|-------------------------4-5-7-------| G|-------------------2-4-6-------------| D|-------------2-4-6-------------------| A|-------2-4-6-------------------------| E|-2-4-5-------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------5-7-9-| B|-------------------------5-7-9-------| G|-------------------4-6-8-------------| D|-------------4-6-7-------------------| A|-------4-6-7-------------------------| E|-4-5-7-------------------------------|
e|--------------------------------7-9-11-| B|-------------------------7-9-10--------| G|-------------------6-8-9---------------| D|-------------6-7-9---------------------| A|-------6-7-9---------------------------| E|-5-7-9---------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------9-11-12-| B|-----------------------------9-10-12---------| G|----------------------8-9-11-----------------| D|---------------7-9-11------------------------| A|--------7-9-11-------------------------------| E|-7-9-11--------------------------------------|
e|------------------------------------------11-12-14-| B|---------------------------------10-12-14----------| G|-------------------------9-11-13-------------------| D|-----------------9-11-13---------------------------| A|---------9-11-12-----------------------------------| E|-9-11-12-------------------------------------------|
e|----------------------------------------------12-14-16-| B|-------------------------------------12-14-16----------| G|----------------------------11-13-14-------------------| D|-------------------11-13-14----------------------------| A|----------11-12-14-------------------------------------| E|-11-12-14----------------------------------------------|
Strings from the low E (left) to the high E (right), frets numbered on the left. Magenta dots are the root, E. The tab under each diagram plays the position from its lowest note to its highest; play it back down the same way.
The positions above are slices of this map. They overlap: the highest notes of one are the lowest notes of the next, so once you know two neighbours you can slide from one to the other along a string.
7 notes: E F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D♯. In whole (W) and half (H) steps: W W H W W W H. The half steps are where the scale gets its colour.
| Note | Degree | Interval from the root | Half steps | Fret on the low E string |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E | 1 | Root | 0 | 0 |
| F♯ | 2 | Major 2nd | 2 | 2 |
| G♯ | 3 | Major 3rd | 4 | 4 |
| A | 4 | Perfect 4th | 5 | 5 |
| B | 5 | Perfect 5th | 7 | 7 |
| C♯ | 6 | Major 6th | 9 | 9 |
| D♯ | 7 | Major 7th | 11 | 11 |
Learn the position nearest the nut first, then one three-notes-per-string position, playing it up and down with the metronome. Then improvise over the I, IV and V chords of the key, ending your phrases on the root.
Same notes, another root: C♯ natural minor. The shapes on the neck are the same; only the note you start and end on changes.
The natural minor lowers the 3rd, 6th and 7th degrees: same shapes, darker sound. Compare the two: E natural minor.
Set the tempo low, play each position up and down with the button above, then try it yourself at the same speed. Raise the tempo by 4 BPM only when it is clean.
Going up: E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D♯, then E an octave higher. Its formula is 1 2 3 4 5 6 7.
Start with position 1, frets 0-5: the root E is under your open low E string on the low E string. Play three notes on each string, from the low E to the high E, then back down. The diagrams and tabs on this page show all 7 positions.
On the low E string at fret 0 and 12, on the A string at fret 7. Those two root notes anchor most scale positions and barre chords.
The natural minor lowers the 3rd, 6th and 7th degrees: same shapes, darker sound.
The guitar on this page is free, with no account. GOONS Studio adds a backing band in the browser - drum machines, a bass synth, a sampled piano and a sequencer - so you can loop a groove and solo over it, with a 7-day free trial, no card required.