What is the Major Scale (Ionian)?

The first item to discuss when learning about the major scale is why it has two
names.

The major scale is also called Ionian because that is its mode name.

The major scale is what we call a “parent scale,” meaning that it contains modes
built from each note in the scale.

Since the root note is in the scale, the first note also gets a mode name, here it’s
Ionian.

Here’s a list of all the modes built from each note of the major scale.

1. Ionian
2. Dorian
3. Phrygian
4. Lydian
5. Mixolydian
6. Aeolian
7. Locrian

The next step is to understand how the major scale is built using both interval
patterns and the names of each interval in the scale.

The interval pattern for the major scale is as follows (W = whole step, H = half
step).

W-W-H-W-W-W-H

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So, if you start on any root note and apply that formula you form a major scale
from that same root note.

For example, with the root note G you get:

G (W) A (W) B (H) C (W) D (W) E (W) F# (H) G

As well, if you know your intervals, you can use those to build the major scale
with the following interval pattern.

R-M2-M3-P4-P5-M6-M7

Whichever way works for you when building major scales is cool, so try a few out
and go with the one that makes the most sense.

As well, you don’t need to understand how any scale is built to play it and use it in
your guitar playing.

So, if this theory doesn’t compute right now. no worries.

Learn to play and use the major scale shapes below, then with time the theory
will become clearer the longer you spend playing this scale.

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 How to Play the Major Scale
Now that you know how to build the major scale, it’s time to take this scale to the
fretboard.

Below are three sets of major scale fingerings with the following goals for each set
of shapes.

1. Box patterns – Play without moving hands.

2. 3 Note Per String – Play moving up the fretboard.
3. Pinky Finger Shapes – Play moving back down the fretboard.

Now that you know what these shapes are, here are tips on how to get the most
out of these scales in your practice routine.

• Learn 1 scale shape at a time, memorize that shape.

• Practice in 12 keys.
• Sing along and/or say the notes you play for added benefit.
• Repeat with the other scale shapes.
• Combine shapes by playing them back to back in your studies.
• Play all shapes up, all shapes down, then one up one down.
• Begin to improvise and experiment with these major scale shapes.

And now comes the fun part, playing these scales and getting them onto the
fretboard in as many keys as possible.

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 How to Use the Major Scale
Now that you know how to build and play the major scale, time to learn what to
do with that knowledge and those scale shapes.

There are three main ways most guitarist use the major scale.

1. To create melodies on instrumental songs.

2. To create riffs and fills when writing songs.
3. To solo over chord progressions.

In this section you focus on the third item, soloing over progressions, though you
can use these scales to create melodies, riffs, and fills as well.

Whenever you have a set of chords in one key, such as C-F-G-Am in C major, you
can solo over those chords with the major scale from that key.

So, if your progression is in D major, you solo with the D major scale.

Here are a few chord progressions that cover different styles of music to explore
and practice soloing over with major scales.

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 I-IV-V-I Progression
To begin, here’s a progression that you can practicing soloing over that uses the C
major scale and a common chord progression, I-IV-V-I.

This type of progression is used a lot in rock, country, and other modern music, so
it’s a fun and important progression to work on with your major scale soloing.

Have fun as you take your major scale knowledge to this progression in your
studies.

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 I-V-vi-IV Progression
Here’s a progression that you can practicing soloing over that uses the G major
scale and a common chord progression, I-V-vi-IV.

This type of progression is used a lot in rock, country, and other modern music, so
it’s a fun and important progression to work on with your major scale soloing.

Have fun as you take your major scale knowledge to this progression in your
studies.

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 I-vi-ii-V7 Progression
Here’s a progression that you can practicing soloing over that uses the A major
scale and a common chord progression, I-vi-ii-V7.

This type of progression is used a lot in rock, country, and other modern music, so
it’s a fun and important progression to work on with your major scale soloing.

Have fun as you take your major scale knowledge to this progression in your
studies.

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 iim7-V7-Imaj7-vim7
Here’s a progression that you can practicing soloing over that uses the D major
scale and a common jazz chord progression, ii-V-I-vi.

This type of progression is used a lot in jazz, and other modern music, and so it’s a
fun and important progression to work on with your major scale soloing.

Have fun as you take your major scale knowledge to this progression in your
studies.

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 Imaj7-IVmaj7 Progression
Here’s a progression that you can practicing soloing over that uses the Bb major
scale and the Imaj7 and IVmaj7 chords.

This type of vamp is fun to solo over as you’re able to cut loose in one key and
over two repeating chords.

Have fun as you take your major scale knowledge to this progression in your
studies.

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 Next Steps
Congrats on getting to the end of this intro lesson on major scales! Not easy.

At this stage you’re ready to explore more modes, other soloing concepts,
arpeggios, pentatonic scales, and much more.

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