G MajorScale · G Ionian

Formula

W W H W W W H 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
The family

G Major on the chromatic circle

G Major is the 1st mode of the Major family. Pick another note on the circle to open the scale that starts there.

W W H W W W H 1 GI Ionian 2 AII Dorian 3 BIII Phrygian 4 CIV Lydian 5 DV Mixolydian 6 EVI Aeolian 7 F♯VII Locrian G Ionian
The whole neck

G Major across the fretboard

Every note of the scale up to the 16th fret, named by its degree. The root is a ring. Step through the five CAGED positions one at a time in the scale library.

3 5 7 9 12 15 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1
Harmony

Chords in G Major

Stack every other note of the scale from each degree and you get its chords. Open any of them in the chord library.

DegreeChordNotes
IGmaj7G B D F♯
iiAm7A C E G
iiiBm7B D F♯ A
IVCmaj7C E G B
VD7D F♯ A C
viEm7E G B D
vii°F♯m7♭5F♯ A C E
Context

Where G Major fits

Plain major: pop, folk, rock and classical melodies in major keys. Over a maj7 chord, pass through the 4th rather than rest on it.

G Major is mode 1 of the major family. The same notes played from each of its other degrees give the family's other modes:

Move one note by a half step and you get a different scale:

Major scale in every key

G Major scale questions

What notes are in the G Major scale?

G A B C D E F♯. As degrees from the root: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7.

What is the G Major scale formula?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7, or in steps between the notes, W W H W W W H (W is a whole step of two frets, H a half step of one fret, 1½ three frets).

How do you play the G Major scale on guitar?

This page draws every note of G Major up to the 16th fret, each named by its degree with the root as a ring. To learn it a few frets at a time, open it in the scale library and step through its five CAGED positions, from the G shape to the E shape to the D shape to the C shape to the A shape.

What chords are in the G Major scale?

Gmaj7 (I), Am7 (ii), Bm7 (iii), Cmaj7 (IV), D7 (V), Em7 (vi), F♯m7♭5 (vii°).

When is the G Major scale used?

Plain major: pop, folk, rock and classical melodies in major keys. Over a maj7 chord, pass through the 4th rather than rest on it.