MetronoTuner
Guitar Standard
en

Install it as an app

It opens full screen, like an app, and works offline.

  1. Tap Share in the browser bar.
  2. Scroll down and tap “Add to Home Screen” .
  3. Tap “Add”. The icon shows up on your home screen.

A whole-tone scale on guitar

The A whole-tone scale has 6 notes: A B C♯ D♯ E♯ G (A, B, C sharp, D sharp, E sharp, and G). The diagrams work the same for acoustic and electric guitar.

  1. A 1
  2. B 2
  3. C♯ C sharp 3
  4. D♯ D sharp ♯4
  5. E♯ E sharp ♯5
  6. G ♭7
A whole-tone scale on guitar: the whole fretboard with the notes A, B, C#, D#, E#, G, from fret 0 to 15

Whole neck: every note of the scale up to fret 15. The root (A) is highlighted.

Positions as text

Position 5 (frets 1 to 5), from the lowest note to the highest:

  • string 6: 1 (E♯), 3 (G), 5 (A)
  • string 5: 2 (B), 4 (C♯)
  • string 4: 1 (D♯), 3 (E♯), 5 (G)
  • string 3: 2 (A), 4 (B)
  • string 2: 2 (C♯), 4 (D♯)
  • string 1: 1 (E♯), 3 (G), 5 (A)

Position 6 (frets 3 to 7), from the lowest note to the highest:

  • string 6: 3 (G), 5 (A), 7 (B)
  • string 5: 4 (C♯), 6 (D♯)
  • string 4: 3 (E♯), 5 (G), 7 (A)
  • string 3: 4 (B), 6 (C♯)
  • string 2: 4 (D♯), 6 (E♯)
  • string 1: 3 (G), 5 (A), 7 (B)

Position 1 (frets 5 to 9), from the lowest note to the highest:

  • string 6: 5 (A), 7 (B), 9 (C♯)
  • string 5: 6 (D♯), 8 (E♯)
  • string 4: 5 (G), 7 (A), 9 (B)
  • string 3: 6 (C♯), 8 (D♯)
  • string 2: 6 (E♯), 8 (G)
  • string 1: 5 (A), 7 (B), 9 (C♯)

Position 2 (frets 7 to 11), from the lowest note to the highest:

  • string 6: 7 (B), 9 (C♯), 11 (D♯)
  • string 5: 8 (E♯), 10 (G)
  • string 4: 7 (A), 9 (B), 11 (C♯)
  • string 3: 8 (D♯), 10 (E♯)
  • string 2: 8 (G), 10 (A)
  • string 1: 7 (B), 9 (C♯), 11 (D♯)

Position 3 (frets 9 to 13), from the lowest note to the highest:

  • string 6: 9 (C♯), 11 (D♯), 13 (E♯)
  • string 5: 10 (G), 12 (A)
  • string 4: 9 (B), 11 (C♯), 13 (D♯)
  • string 3: 10 (E♯), 12 (G)
  • string 2: 10 (A), 12 (B)
  • string 1: 9 (C♯), 11 (D♯), 13 (E♯)

Position 4 (frets 11 to 15), from the lowest note to the highest:

  • string 6: 11 (D♯), 13 (E♯), 15 (G)
  • string 5: 12 (A), 14 (B)
  • string 4: 11 (C♯), 13 (D♯), 15 (E♯)
  • string 3: 12 (G), 14 (A)
  • string 2: 12 (B), 14 (C♯)
  • string 1: 11 (D♯), 13 (E♯), 15 (G)

Fretboard positions

Each position fits within 5 frets, with 2 to 3 notes per string, and starts on a scale note on the lowest string. Position 1 starts on the root (A).

Use Degrees to see the role of each note (1 is the root) and Listen to hear the selected position going up and down.

Formula

  1. A
  2. W
  3. B
  4. W
  5. C♯
  6. W
  7. D♯
  8. W
  9. E♯
  10. W
  11. G
  12. W
  13. A

Degrees: 1 · 2 · 3 · ♯4 · ♯5 · ♭7. Steps: W – W – W – W – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step).

About the whole-tone scale

Six notes a whole step apart. Mysterious and dreamlike; fits augmented chords.

Scales with the same notes

More A scales

Whole-tone in other keys

Frequently asked questions

What are the notes of the A whole-tone scale?

The notes of the A whole-tone scale are A, B, C sharp, D sharp, E sharp, and G. The root, degree 1, is A.

What is the formula of the A whole-tone scale?

In degrees: 1 · 2 · 3 · ♯4 · ♯5 · ♭7. In steps between the notes: W – W – W – W – W – W (W = whole step, H = half step).

How do you play the A whole-tone scale on guitar?

Each position fits within 5 frets, with 2 to 3 notes per string, and starts on a scale note on the lowest string. Position 1 starts on the root (A). There are 6 positions on guitar, each with the full fingering.

On other instruments

All scales on guitar