STRINGSCALES

C neapolitan major Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: F, G, A, B, C, Db, Eb at frets 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11

A string: A, B, C, Db, Eb, F, G, A at frets 0, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12

D string: Eb, F, G, A, B, C, Db at frets 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11

G string: G, A, B, C, Db, Eb, F, G at frets 0, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12

B string: B, C, Db, Eb, F, G, A, B at frets 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12

High E string: F, G, A, B, C, Db, Eb at frets 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11

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C 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:

C

i

Cm
D♭

bII+

D♭aug
E♭

bIII+

E♭aug
F

IV

Fmaj
G

V

Gmaj♭5
A

vi°

Adim
B

VII

D♭7no5/B

Same notes, different mode

C 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.

Db leading whole toneEb lydian augmented dominantF lydian dominant b6G major locrianA half-diminished b4B 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 (Db) 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 (Db) major triad); the scale bridges both harmonies.
  • Think melodic minor with a flat 2nd: your C melodic minor fingering needs only one altered note.
  • Write a two-bar phrase where bar one uses only root, b2 (Db), b3 (Eb) and bar two only IV, V, VI, VII; the scale's split personality becomes the hook.

How to play C neapolitan major on guitar

Open A, open G and open B all belong here, so a Cm grip can ring against unfretted strings without a clash. Dbaug and Ebaug both come out of this key, which lets you slide one augmented grip between two roots. Closest root is on the B string, fret 1. Same fingering serves Db leading whole tone one semitone up, so the shape earns its keep twice over.

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