STRINGSCALES

E neapolitan major Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

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

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

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

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

B string: B, C#, D#, E, F, G, A, B at frets 0, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12

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

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E 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:

E

i

Em
F

bII+

Faug
G

bIII+

Gaug
A

IV

Amaj
B

V

Bmaj♭5
C♯

vi°

C♯dim
D♯

VII

F7no5/D♯

Same notes, different mode

E 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.

F leading whole toneG lydian augmented dominantA lydian dominant b6B major locrianC# half-diminished b4D# 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 (F) 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 (F) major triad); the scale bridges both harmonies.
  • Think melodic minor with a flat 2nd: your E melodic minor fingering needs only one altered note.
  • Write a two-bar phrase where bar one uses only root, b2 (F), b3 (G) and bar two only IV, V, VI, VII; the scale's split personality becomes the hook.

How to play E neapolitan major on guitar

Root comes off both open E strings, with open B supplying the fifth, so an Em drone is available before the fretting hand does anything. Open A and open G belong as well, so five strings stay usable with nothing fretted. First box ends early, at fret 4. Outer strings root at fret 0, so open-position work needs no barre at all.

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