C Major Scale – Guitar

The seven-note scale everything else is measured against: do-re-mi on the guitar neck. Here it is in C: the notes, the whole neck, all five boxes with TAB, and a backing track to practise over.

Notes in the C major scale

Formula: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7. Use it to solo over songs in C major.

Same seven notes as the A natural minor scale (its relative minor).

C major scale on the whole neck

C Major Scale on the whole neck, frets 0-15. Gold = the root (C).

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<iframe src="https://jamease.app/embed/scales/c-major" width="100%" height="300" style="border:0;max-width:900px" loading="lazy" title="C Major Scale on the guitar neck"></iframe>
<p><a href="https://jamease.app/scales/c-major">C Major Scale on guitar</a> – diagram by JamEase</p>

The JamEase course map: chapter 1, Solo Foundations

Know the scale?
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Every note on the neck, with sound and TAB
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The 5 boxes (positions) with TAB

Each box is one hand position. Learn Box 1 first: play it up with the TAB, then back down, then move to the next box – together they cover the whole neck.

Box 1 · frets 6–11

C Major Scale, box 1

e|----------------------------------------------7--8--10-|
B|-------------------------------------6--8--10----------|
G|----------------------------7--9--10-------------------|
D|-------------------7--9--10----------------------------|
A|----------7--8--10-------------------------------------|
E|-7--8--10----------------------------------------------|

Box 2 · frets 8–14

C Major Scale, box 2

e|-------------------------------------------------------------8--10-12-13-|
B|-------------------------------------------------8--10-12-13-------------|
G|-------------------------------------9--10-12-14-------------------------|
D|-------------------------9--10-12-14-------------------------------------|
A|-------------8--10-12-14-------------------------------------------------|
E|-8--10-12-13-------------------------------------------------------------|

Box 3 · frets 11–16

C Major Scale, box 3

e|----------------------------------------------12-13-15-|
B|-------------------------------------12-13-15----------|
G|----------------------------12-14-16-------------------|
D|-------------------12-14-15----------------------------|
A|----------12-14-15-------------------------------------|
E|-12-13-15----------------------------------------------|

Box 4 · frets 1–6

C Major Scale, box 4

e|---------------------------------1-3-5-|
B|-------------------------1-3-5-6-------|
G|-------------------2-4-5---------------|
D|-------------2-3-5---------------------|
A|-------2-3-5---------------------------|
E|-1-3-5---------------------------------|

Box 5 · frets 4–9

C Major Scale, box 5

e|---------------------------------5-7-8-|
B|---------------------------5-6-8-------|
G|-------------------4-5-7-9-------------|
D|-------------5-7-9---------------------|
A|-------5-7-8---------------------------|
E|-5-7-8---------------------------------|

C major backing track

Play the boxes over this, starting and ending phrases on the gold root notes.

Smooth Slow Blues in C major | Guitar Backing Track – AUsher Jam Tracks

Songs in C major

These songs are in C major, so this is a scale that fits for soloing over them:

Hallelujah – Jeff Buckley
When I Was Your Man – Bruno Mars
Dont Look Back In Anger – Oasis
Let It Be – The Beatles
Imagine – John Lennon
Have You Ever Seen The Rain – Creedence Clearwater Revival
All I Want – Kodaline
Stay – Rihanna
A Star Is Born - Always Remember Us This Way – Misc Soundtrack
Ho Hey – The Lumineers
Heaven – Bryan Adams
Space Oddity – David Bowie

All songs in C major →

Other scales in C

Major Scale in other keys

Put it to use: solo with it, step by step, starting with three notes.