The major scale

The major scale is the foundation of Western music. Chords, keys, other scales and modes are all described in relation to it. Its sound is the familiar do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-ti-do.

The formula

A major scale is built with this pattern of whole steps (W) and half steps (H):

W – W – H – W – W – W – H

Start on C and follow the formula: C →(W) D →(W) E →(H) F →(W) G →(W) A →(W) B →(H) C. No sharps or flats — that's why C major is all white keys:

Start on any other note and follow the same formula, and you get that note's major scale. G major needs one sharp (F♯), D major needs two (F♯ and C♯), and so on.

Scale degrees

Each note of the scale has a number, called a degree: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Musicians talk in degrees because they work in any key: "the 5th" of C is G; the 5th of A is E.

Major scale on one string

The formula is easy to see on a single string — whole step = 2 frets, half step = 1 fret:

A playable position

To play scales fast, guitarists use positions: a box of 4–5 frets where you don't need to move your hand. Here is G major in 2nd position (root on the 6th string, 3rd fret). Use one finger per fret.

e|---------------------------2-3-5-|
B|---------------------3-5---------|
G|---------------2-4-5-------------|
D|---------2-4-5-------------------|
A|---2-3-5-------------------------|
E|-3-------------------------------|

The whole neck

The same scale covers the entire fretboard. Switch to note names and look for the patterns: