The major scale on guitar
The bright, settled sound behind most pop, folk and rock melodies. Every other scale here is easiest to understand as a change to this one.
A Major
A1B2C#3D4E5F#6G#7
Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 · Steps: W · W · H · W · W · W · H (W = whole step, H = half step) · 7 notes
Where it sits on the neck
Every A Major note from the open strings to the 12th fret, standard tuning. Gold dots are the root. Above the 12th fret the pattern repeats.
On a phone, swipe the diagram sideways to see the whole neck.
Songs that use it
- Stand By Me (Ben E. King), in A Major
- Let It Be (The Beatles), in C Major
In Fretdle
It's the daily board's scale on Thursdays. The scale's notes are hidden on the board: you only see the roots, so knowing this pattern is the whole game.