C Major Scale on Guitar
C D E F G A B — no sharps, no flats, and the reference every other scale is described against.
C major
Tap any fret to hear it. Gold dots are the root. Positions start at each scale note on the low string, so position 1 is the lowest box.
Notes and Intervals
| Note | Interval | From the root |
|---|---|---|
| C | R | Root · 0 semitones |
| D | 2 | Major 2nd · 2 semitones |
| E | 3 | Major 3rd · 4 semitones |
| F | 4 | Perfect 4th · 5 semitones |
| G | 5 | Perfect 5th · 7 semitones |
| A | 6 | Major 6th · 9 semitones |
| B | 7 | Major 7th · 11 semitones |
Positions in Standard Tuning
| Position | Frets | Low E string starts on |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0–4 | E |
| 2 | 0–4 | F |
| 3 | 2–6 | G |
| 4 | 4–8 | A |
| 5 | 6–10 | B |
| 6 | 7–11 | C · root |
| 7 | 9–13 | D |
Positions are numbered from the lowest box on the neck, as in the explorer above. Add 12 to any of them for the same shape an octave higher.
About the C Major Scale
The C major scale is C, D, E, F, G, A and B — the white keys of a piano. It is the only major scale with no sharps or flats, which makes it the key for learning music theory: every other major scale is the same pattern of whole and half steps, W W H W W W H, started on a different note.
On guitar there is nothing special about C's fingering: the major-scale shapes move to any key. But because every note in it is a natural, learning C major is the same as learning where all the natural notes are on the neck.
Finding It on the Fretboard
The scale has 7 notes, so it has 7 positions: five-fret windows that each start on a different scale note on the low E string. The one that starts on the root, C, covers frets 7 to 11. It is the shape most lessons teach first, and the easiest to keep your bearings in, because the root is under your hand on both E strings. Use the position buttons in the explorer to isolate each one, and switch the labels to intervals to see what every fret does in the scale.
Chords in the Scale
Stacking every other note of the scale gives these seven chords. Any of them, and progressions made from them, can be played under the scale:
How to Practise It
- Play C major in open position: it uses open strings and frets 1 to 3, and contains the notes of every open chord in the key.
- Find every C on the neck, then play the scale from each one. That is the fastest way to connect the positions.
- Sing the scale as you play it — do, re, mi — to tie the shapes to the sound.
- Play it in thirds: C–E, D–F, E–G and so on. It is a classic exercise that makes scale runs sound like melodies.
A steady reference makes every one of these more useful: open the drone generator on C in another tab and play against it.
The Chords of C Major
Building a triad on each note of the scale gives the seven chords of the key: C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am and B°. Most songs in C use three or four of them, very often C, F, G and Am. The circle of fifths shows the same pattern for every key.
The relative minor of C major is A minor: the same seven notes, with A as home.
Explore every scale in every key in the scale explorer, or print the free guitar charts to practise away from a screen.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the notes of the C major scale?
C, D, E, F, G, A and B. It has no sharps or flats.
What is the pattern of the major scale?
Whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half. On one guitar string, that is 2, 2, 1, 2, 2, 2 and 1 frets. Start it on any note to get that note's major scale.
Is C major the same as A minor?
They share all seven notes, so the fingerings are identical. The difference is the home note: a song in C major resolves to C, one in A minor to A.