Guitar scale
C Major (Ionian) Guitar Scale
C major is a seven-note major scale built from C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. It has no sharps or flats, which makes it a useful reference point for understanding intervals on the fretboard.
- Notes
- CDEFGAB
- Formula
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
- Semitones
- 0 2 4 5 7 9 11
- Parent scale
- C major
- Also called
- C Ionian
How to read this scale
The notes are shown as pitch classes first. Square markers represent C root notes in the fretboard view, while circular markers represent the other notes in the scale.
Use the interactive fretboard to track the C roots and see how the major-scale pattern repeats across all six strings.
This same note pattern is also commonly called C Ionian.
Fretboard diagram
Open this scale in the fretboard tool
Start with C Major (Ionian) loaded, then adjust tuning, labels, colors, fret count, and orientation.
Open in interactive fretboardCommon chords and contexts
- Use C major over C major, Cmaj7, and straightforward major-key progressions.
- It is also the parent scale for the seven major-scale modes that share the same notes.