STRINGSCALES

B neapolitan major Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, F#, G#, A#, B, C, D, E at frets 0, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12

A string: A#, B, C, D, E, F#, G# at frets 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11

D string: D, E, F#, G#, A#, B, C, D at frets 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12

G string: G#, A#, B, C, D, E, F# at frets 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11

B string: B, C, D, E, F#, G#, A#, B at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12

High E string: E, F#, G#, A#, B, C, D, E at frets 0, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12

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B neapolitan major

The neapolitan major scale is a melodic minor scale with a flat 2nd: only the opening half step is dark, and everything from the 4th up is pure major brightness. That lopsided design gives melodies a shadowed start and a radiant finish. It generates its own mode family, including the leading whole tone and major locrian scales.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

B

i

Bm
C

bII+

Caug
D

bIII+

Daug
E

IV

Emaj
F♯

V

F#maj♭5
G♯

vi°

G♯dim
A♯

VII

C7no5/A♯

Same notes, different mode

B neapolitan major uses the same notes as the scales below. Start from a different note and you get a new mode built on the very same note set.

C leading whole toneD lydian augmented dominantE lydian dominant b6F# major locrianG# half-diminished b4A# altered dominant double b3

neapolitan major in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • Dark start, bright finish: open phrases with the b2 (C) against the root, then climb into the pure-major top half (VI and VII).
  • Use it over a major chord approached from its Neapolitan (the bII (C) major triad); the scale bridges both harmonies.
  • Think melodic minor with a flat 2nd: your B melodic minor fingering needs only one altered note.
  • Write a two-bar phrase where bar one uses only root, b2 (C), b3 (D) and bar two only IV, V, VI, VII; the scale's split personality becomes the hook.

How to play B neapolitan major on guitar

Open B is the root, so Bm ideas can start from an unfretted string. Both E strings land a fourth above it and open D gives the minor third, which means four strings carry key tones on their own. Three sharps, capo at fret 2 for A. Fret 7 puts roots on both outer strings, coinciding with the E-shape barre, which means scale and chord live in one place.

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