STRINGSCALES

C prometheus Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: E, F#, A, Bb, C, D, E at frets 0, 2, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12

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

D string: D, E, F#, A, Bb, C, D at frets 0, 2, 4, 7, 8, 10, 12

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

B string: C, D, E, F#, A, Bb at frets 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 11

High E string: E, F#, A, Bb, C, D, E at frets 0, 2, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12

Pick a root note

Pick a scale

C prometheus

The prometheus scale is Scriabin's mystic chord laid out as a six note scale: root, 2nd, major 3rd, raised 4th, 6th, flat 7th. It is the lydian dominant sound with the 5th removed, which unmoors it: bright, whole-tone leaning and never quite resolving. Use it over 7#11 or 13#11 chords, or for harmonically suspended interludes.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

C

I

D

II

E

III

F♯

#IV

A

VI

B♭

bVII

prometheus in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • This is the mystic chord as a scale: stack it in 4ths from C (root, #IV (F#), bVII (Bb), III, VI, II) to hear it as Scriabin voiced it.
  • Over a 13#11 chord, every note lands; with no 5th in the scale, nothing anchors, which is exactly the floating effect.
  • Treat II and VI as melodic pivots between the whole-tone-flavored lower notes and the dominant color of bVII (Bb).
  • Resolve by half step: #IV (F#) up to the 5th of the next chord, or bVII (Bb) down to its 3rd; the scale exits gracefully despite its float.

How to play C prometheus on guitar

Open low E, A, D, and high E all carry scale tones, sitting a major third, major sixth, and major second above C, so open-string color comes easy in this key. Roots anchor at fret 8 on both E strings and fret 3 on the A string, which means the two standard barre shapes stack right there. B string adds a root at fret 1. Only 1 sharp sits in the signature.

homeall scalesaboutfaqpricingmicrotonalterms & conditionsprivacy policycookie policy© 2026 StringScales. All rights reserved.