Scales

Guitar scales on the fretboard

Major, natural minor, pentatonic, and blues scales each give you a different way to hear the neck.

Start with familiar keys, then compare related major and minor sounds to hear what changes when notes are added or removed.

Start here

Good places to begin

Start with familiar keys and scale sounds.

G Major

A common major-key starting point with familiar open-chord territory.

C Major

Another core major shape with strong ties to open-position songwriting.

A Natural Minor

A foundational minor sound with an easy relative-major comparison.

E Natural Minor

A common minor key for rock, folk, and singer-songwriter playing.

G Major Pentatonic

A bright five-note sound that is easy to turn into hooks and fills.

A Minor Pentatonic

A classic lead scale for bends, riffs, and compact box patterns.

G Major Blues

A brighter blues sound that mixes major color with a blue note.

E Blues

A classic blues choice for dominant grooves and rock phrasing.

By root

Browse scales by root

Use a root hub when you want to compare every supported sound on the same note.

C scales

Compare C across major, natural minor, pentatonic, and blues scale families.

C♯ scales

Compare C♯ across major, natural minor, pentatonic, and blues scale families.

D scales

Compare D across major, natural minor, pentatonic, and blues scale families.

D♯ scales

Compare D♯ across major, natural minor, pentatonic, and blues scale families.

E scales

Compare E across major, natural minor, pentatonic, and blues scale families.

F scales

Compare F across major, natural minor, pentatonic, and blues scale families.

F♯ scales

Compare F♯ across major, natural minor, pentatonic, and blues scale families.

G scales

Compare G across major, natural minor, pentatonic, and blues scale families.

G♯ scales

Compare G♯ across major, natural minor, pentatonic, and blues scale families.

A scales

Compare A across major, natural minor, pentatonic, and blues scale families.

A♯ scales

Compare A♯ across major, natural minor, pentatonic, and blues scale families.

B scales

Compare B across major, natural minor, pentatonic, and blues scale families.

Core sounds

What to compare

These families cover the main sounds most guitar players compare first.

The main set here covers full seven-note major and natural minor sounds, the leaner pentatonic shapes, and the blues versions that add a passing color note.

Move between related pairs, such as major and major pentatonic or minor pentatonic and blues, to hear how a small note change reshapes phrasing.

Browse all

All supported scales

Browse every supported root in each scale sound.

Major scales

The standard seven-note major scale used for melody, key-center practice, and diatonic harmony.

C Major C♯ Major D Major D♯ Major E Major F Major F♯ Major G Major G♯ Major A Major A♯ Major B Major

Natural Minor scales

The core minor-key scale for darker melodies, Aeolian harmony, and relative-major comparison.

C Natural Minor C♯ Natural Minor D Natural Minor D♯ Natural Minor E Natural Minor F Natural Minor F♯ Natural Minor G Natural Minor G♯ Natural Minor A Natural Minor A♯ Natural Minor B Natural Minor

Major Pentatonic scales

A five-note major subset that removes the strongest half-step tension and feels open immediately.

C Major Pentatonic C♯ Major Pentatonic D Major Pentatonic D♯ Major Pentatonic E Major Pentatonic F Major Pentatonic F♯ Major Pentatonic G Major Pentatonic G♯ Major Pentatonic A Major Pentatonic A♯ Major Pentatonic B Major Pentatonic

Minor Pentatonic scales

A five-note minor lead scale that sits naturally under bends, slides, and compact box patterns.

C Minor Pentatonic C♯ Minor Pentatonic D Minor Pentatonic D♯ Minor Pentatonic E Minor Pentatonic F Minor Pentatonic F♯ Minor Pentatonic G Minor Pentatonic G♯ Minor Pentatonic A Minor Pentatonic A♯ Minor Pentatonic B Minor Pentatonic

Major Blues scales

A major pentatonic sound with an added blue note for country-blues and rock phrasing.

C Major Blues C♯ Major Blues D Major Blues D♯ Major Blues E Major Blues F Major Blues F♯ Major Blues G Major Blues G♯ Major Blues A Major Blues A♯ Major Blues B Major Blues

Blues scales

The classic minor blues scale: minor pentatonic plus the blue note between the fourth and fifth.

C Blues C♯ Blues D Blues D♯ Blues E Blues F Blues F♯ Blues G Blues G♯ Blues A Blues A♯ Blues B Blues

Use it

Put the scale to work

Connect these sounds to matching chords and the progressions built around them.

Browse chords

Compare the scale against matching chord shapes.

Progression ideas

Check which scales and keys fit a progression you already know.