STRINGSCALES

C ionian major #2 Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, F, G, A, B, C, D#, E at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12

A string: A, B, C, D#, E, F, G, A at frets 0, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12

D string: D#, E, F, G, A, B, C at frets 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10

G string: G, A, B, C, D#, E, F, G at frets 0, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12

B string: B, C, D#, E, F, G, A, B at frets 0, 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12

High E string: E, F, G, A, B, C, D#, E at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12

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C ionian major #2

The ionian #2 scale, the sixth mode of the neapolitan minor scale, is a major scale whose 2nd is raised to a sharp 2nd, creating an augmented 2nd leap right at the start. The rest is textbook major, so melodies keep snapping between exotic and plain. It is a striking way to make a familiar major progression sound foreign.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

C

I

Cmaj
D♯

#II

F7no5/D♯
E

iii

Em
F

IV

Fmaj
G

V+

Gaug
A

vi

Am
B

VII

Bmaj♭5

Same notes, different mode

C ionian major #2 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.

D# ultralocrianE neapolitan minorF lydian #6G mixolydian augmentedA romani minorB locrian dominant

ionian major #2 in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • Play C major but leap from the root straight to #2 (D#) and settle on the 3rd; one displaced note makes familiar lines sound foreign.
  • Use the #2 (D#) as a chromatic ornament to the 3rd (E) in an otherwise textbook major solo; ration it and it stays striking.
  • It is the sixth mode of neapolitan minor, sharing its notes with the neapolitan minor a major 3rd below C.
  • Over a plain major triad, alternate phrases from C major and C ionian #2 (D#) to make one chord feel like two worlds.

How to play C ionian major #2 on guitar

Roots stack at fret 8 on both E strings, with the A string root at fret 3 and the root nearest the nut sitting at fret 1 on the B string. Open G, B and both E strings all belong here, and the open G is the fifth, which means a drone holds under anything you play. Am is the vi chord, so a first-position minor voicing stays inside the key. Barre the E shape at fret 8.

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