Standard tuning · 8 scales · 12 keys
Guitar Scales
Free guitar scale charts for standard tuning: 8 scales in all 12 keys — pentatonic, blues, major, minor, Dorian, Mixolydian and harmonic minor. Every page shows the whole neck, the positions to learn, the chords that fit and a backing track to jam over, and every note can be heard.
Which scale should I learn first?
Start with the A minor pentatonic. It has only five notes, the first position fits under four fingers, and it works over almost any rock, blues or pop backing in A minor or C major. Then add the blues scale (one extra note), the major pentatonic for brighter songs, and the full major scale when you want melodies and theory.
The 8 scales
Every scale in every key
| Scale | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minor pentatonic | C | C# | D | Eb | E | F | F# | G | G# | A | Bb | B |
| Major pentatonic | C | Db | D | Eb | E | F | F# | G | Ab | A | Bb | B |
| Blues | C | C# | D | Eb | E | F | F# | G | G# | A | Bb | B |
| Major | C | Db | D | Eb | E | F | F# | G | Ab | A | Bb | B |
| Natural minor | C | C# | D | Eb | E | F | F# | G | G# | A | Bb | B |
| Dorian | C | C# | D | Eb | E | F | F# | G | G# | A | Bb | B |
| Mixolydian | C | Db | D | Eb | E | F | F# | G | Ab | A | Bb | B |
| Harmonic minor | C | C# | D | Eb | E | F | F# | G | G# | A | Bb | B |
How scale positions work
A position (or "box") is a group of notes you can reach without moving your hand. Pentatonic scales have five positions with two notes on each string; seven-note scales are shown as seven three-notes-per-string patterns, the layout most players use for speed. The positions join up like puzzle pieces: the top notes of one are the bottom notes of the next, and after the last one the pattern starts again 12 frets higher.
All shapes are movable: the A minor pentatonic box at fret 5 becomes G minor pentatonic at fret 3 or C minor pentatonic at fret 8. Learn the shape, then move it to the key of the song — the key finder tells you which key that is.
Questions
What is the easiest guitar scale to learn?
The minor pentatonic. It has five notes, its first position fits in four frets with two notes per string, and it sounds good over most rock, blues and pop.
How many guitar scales should I learn?
Two or three, well: minor pentatonic, major pentatonic and the major scale cover most music. Add the blues scale and the Dorian or Mixolydian modes when you need their sound.
What is the difference between a scale and a mode?
A mode is a scale started from a different note of a parent scale. D Dorian uses the notes of C major but treats D as home, which gives it a minor sound with a bright 6th.