Guitar scale
Bb Major (Ionian) Guitar Scale
Bb Major (Ionian) is a seven-note scale built from Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G, and A. It is the 1st relative mode of Bb major. It is also commonly called Bb Ionian. Use it to study the scale's notes, interval formula, and guitar fretboard positions.
- Notes
- BbCDEbFGA
- Formula
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
- Semitones
- 0 2 4 5 7 9 11
- Parent scale
- Bb major
- Also called
- Bb Ionian
How to read this scale
The notes are shown as pitch classes first. Square markers represent Bb root notes in the fretboard view, while circular markers represent the other notes in the scale.
Use the interactive fretboard to locate the Bb root notes and connect the remaining major (ionian) tones across standard tuning.
This same note pattern is also commonly called Bb Ionian.
Fretboard diagram
Open this scale in the fretboard tool
Start with Bb Major (Ionian) loaded, then adjust tuning, labels, colors, fret count, and orientation.
Open in interactive fretboardCommon chords and contexts
- Use Bb major over Bb major, Bbmaj7, and straightforward major-key progressions.
- It is also the parent scale for the seven major-scale modes that share the same notes.