About the C sharp Neapolitan Major scale
C sharp Neapolitan Major is used for jazz and classical writing that wants a striking contrast. Think of it as a flat second and third with a bright natural sixth and seventh.
Its notes are C♯, D, E, F♯, G♯, A♯, and B♯. The formula is H W W W W W H. It is the seventh mode of D Leading Whole Tone.
Also called Kokilapriya.
An unfretted guitar already sounds E and D from this mode. Down at the 4th fret of the A string lies the lowest C♯ a guitar can play. Placed at the first fret, a capo lets C♯ Neapolitan Major be played with C-shape fingerings.
Positions
Playable shapes for this scale up the neck. Tap any note to hear it.
CAGED
Five shapes, each anchored to a chord form you already know, the pop and rock default that ties your scales to your chords. The outlined notes are that chord, so you can see the C, A, G, E, and D shapes inside the scale.
3NPS
3NPS stands for 3 notes per string. It lays the scale out in seven even shapes for rock and metal lead, and favors speed because the picking pattern stays consistent across every string.
7-position system
7 four-fret boxes, one per scale degree, each a single hand position with almost no shifting. The jazz and classical way, from William Leavitt's Berklee method.
Notes and intervals
| 1 | C#C♯ | Root |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | DD | Minor 2nd |
| 3 | EE | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | F#F♯ | Perfect 4th |
| 5 | G#G♯ | Perfect 5th |
| 6 | A#A♯ | Major 6th |
| 7 | B#B♯ | Major 7th |
| Steps | H W W W W W H |
|---|---|
| Semitones | 1-2-2-2-2-2-1 |
| Degrees | 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 6 7 |
Shapes
Chromatic
Circle of Fifths
Related scales
Neapolitan Major in other keys
Modes
The same notes, starting on a different note.
Embed this scale
