Guitar Scale Chart
Standard tuning E A D G B E · low string on the left · pick a key & scale
How to play
- Root — tap any of the 12 notes to set the key; the chart re‑maps instantly.
- Scale — choose Major, Natural Minor, Pentatonics, Blues, Dorian, Mixolydian or Harmonic Minor.
- Labels — switch dot text between scale degrees (1, ♭3, 5…) and note names.
- Click / tap any dot to hear that note; coloured dots are the root. The panel shows the note spelling and the step formula (W = whole, H = half).
- Play scale — hear and watch the scale ascend; press again to stop. Vol sets master volume.
- Keyboard — Tab to any control, Enter/Space to activate, arrow keys move the volume slider.
- Tip — every shape repeats 12 frets higher; the coloured roots are your anchor points.
This is a fun interactive guitar scale chart that allows you to both view the notes and hear them for any given scale on the fretboard using standard tuning. Simply use your mouse/track pad to click right on the interface and move around instrument to explore it quickly and easily without having to pick up your actualy guitar! It is designed to let you visually identify where all of the scale tones are in relation to each other.
You can also select root note you want to explore in the row of controls at the top. These is 12 buttons spanning the chromatic notes from C to B with sharps/flats automatically adjusting according to the chosen key. After selecting your root, the whole chart will update with the relevant scale shape anchored to the note you’ve chosen. This allow you to easily move these shapes around in your head before attempting to play them on a guitar.
How to Use the Guitar Scale Chart
Just below the root selection is a row of buttons to select the scale type you want to play in. These include all major, minor (natural), blues, dorian, mixolydian, harmonic minor and a range of pentatonic ones. Selecting one redraws the dots on fretboard diagram immediately with the specific intervals of that scale or mode. So it’s a fast method to see how certain shapes is similar across different keys and their slightly differant sounds.
There are additional features that let you change the display of the notes. For instance, you can turn note names on or off at each dot on the fretboard. You can also label them with either a degree number or actual note name. If you want to strengthen your knowledge of the CAGED system or some other pattern of positions, then having note names visible strengthens this concept. If you want to think about inner workings of scale and see its structure more clearly, then turning on the degrees makes sense.
There is also a play button which will play your selected scales ascending from the root note. It includes audio feedback so you can connect the visual pattern to the sounds they produce. Each time a note are played the corresponding dot lights up and if you wish to hear an individual note just click directly on that dot in isolation. This might be to test out the sound of the note in the context of the chosen scale, or even check the pitch of a certain interval.
The master output level features a volume slider allowing you to set it low enough to not distract from playing but still hear what’s being played back as you practice. It also has a fullscreen button which opens up the widget to use more space on your screen; this makes reading the fretboard easier and bigger. You can toggle help panel on or off. This allows you to revisit these settings and reminds you of how each feature works if necessary.
The widget is also easy for keyboard users to work with; you don’t have to rely exclusively on the mouse to get around it. Just use the Tab key to jump from one group of controls (scale type/root selection) to the next, and tap the Space/Enter key to trigger the selected option. You can use the arrow keys to precisely control volume slider. With this arrangement, no matter your preferred input method, you should of be able to comfortabley interact with the chart.
Experiment with a switch of scale on the same root note, and see what difference it makes to the character. You may find that the Natural Minor sounds really close to the Minor Pentatonic, but there is fewer notes to worry about! Another great one would be to choose more complicated scale such as Harmonic Minor and then compare the sound of this against a regular Major scale. Each has a distinct sound profile and these easy-to-make comparisons will develop your ear for various modes in no time at all.
Take some time to look at where the root notes repeat across strings, as they serve as important anchor points for improvisation and composition. It is also worth looking at where the root notes fall on the strings. You’ll notice depending on which string you’re playing, the pattern moves around slightly. This gives you a good visual understanding of how the patterns relates, which can turn into muscle memory once you actually hold a real guitar.
Select a key you know, start the automatic playback, and click the dots to play through each scale. Use this to compare which patterns is similar and where they differ from one another across the fret board. After a bit of exploring, this can serve as useful guide to expand your musical knowledge and learn new positions.