A Guide on How to Play the C Major Scale Guitar

The first step towards understanding the technicalities of guitar playing is by learning the C major scale. You can learn the best and worst things about guitar by simply learning open chords, power chords, guitar chords series, and pentatonic scales. These guitar skills will allow you to be that guy who knows his way around guitar songs. But all of this isn’t going to make you a technical master of the instrument. 

If you are thinking about learning guitar as more than just a hobby, you need to know how to play all the different types of guitar scales, starting with C major. As a beginner in guitar learning, you have to start with the C major scale because it does not have any altered notes such as sharps or flats, and it is the most common major scale you will find in a number of music compositions.

With this blog, we are going to help you take the very first step towards an incredible learning journey. Here, you will learn about different notes of the C major scale, the pattern used in it, and different fret positions for the C major, along with exercises and techniques that make the complete guide of the C major scale for you to learn so let’s begin.

What is the C major Scale?

C major scale on guitar is considered to be a natural scale, and it is the most common key in music, making it necessary for musicians to master it. Scale, on the other hand, is a group of notes that is organized in such a form that it can go higher (ascending) or lower (descending) pitch state depending on the key at which the song needs to be played.  

The C major scale is an excellent starting point for beginner guitarists since many other instruments, such as the piano, often play in the key of C. Learning this scale will help you play along with other instruments as you progress in your guitar journey.
You can also go through in detail about the C Major Guitar Chord here.

How many notes are there in the C Major Scale?

There are a total 7 notes present in the C major scale, and they are:- 

1. C
2. D
3. E
4. F
5. G
6. A
7. B

Step-by-Step Guide to Practice C Major Scale Guitar

Now that you know about all C major scales on guitar, let’s look at the different variations of the C major scale that you can play on guitar.

i. Locate the Starting Point:

The c major scale starting point is at the 1st fret 2nd string from the bottom where the C note is present. 

On the 1st fret at the 6th string and the 1st fret at the 1st string, you will have an F note. You only have to play the note which is colored Yellow. Strings that are marked by black circles are open strings. 

ii. C Major Scale Pattern:

The formula for creating a C major scale is:- 

tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, semitone. 

C | | D | | E | F | | G | | A | | B | C

To find notes on any scale, a specific formula is developed using intervals. An interval is the distance between notes, which is represented on the fretboard. 

• Two notes having two frets in between them are called a tone. 
• Two notes having a single fret in between them is called a semitone. 

In the below image, you can find all seven notes for the C major scale. Each note on the fretboard is at a distance from one another, which can be measured in tones and semitones.

• You can see root note C is marked on B string at 1st fret. 
• The following note is D, which is present on the same B string after two frets higher. 
• Then note E is also two frets higher/ a tone apart present on the 5th fret. 
• After that comes note F on the 6th fret, which is only one fret higher/semitone away from E. 
• The next three notes, G, A, and B, are present on the 8th, 10th, and 12th frets; each of them is a tone apart from the others. 
• The eighth note, C, is present one fret/semitone away from the B note. So, it will be played on the 13th fret, and playing at this position on the fretboard will complete the C major scale.

iii. Finger Placement:

For playing C major scale at open position, you will be using:-

• Index finger for playing notes on 1st fret. 
• Middle finger for playing notes on 2nd fret. 
• Ring finger for playing notes on 3rd fret.

iv. Explore Different Positions:

2nd Position: playing the C major scale in the 2nd position is a bit of a challenge. But this position uses all the notes of the C major scale while keeping your fingers placed in between the 2nd and 6th frets.

• Use your index finger to play notes on the 3rd fret. 
• Use your ring finger to play notes present on the 5th fret. 

4th position: playing the C major scale at this position on the fretboard will push you to have more finger movement. This is an important position to learn as it gives you flexibility in terms of improvisation. In addition to this, for this position, you will be using your pinky finger as well.

• Use your index finger to play notes on the 5th fret. 
• Use your middle finger to play notes on the 6th fret. 
• Use your ring finger to play notes on the 7th fret.
• Use your pinky finger to play notes on the 8th fret. 

You can play notes present on 3rd string by shifting your fingers

• Place your index finger on the 4th fret so it can produce a B note. 
• Use your middle finger to play the C note on the 5th fret. 
• Play the D note on the 7th fret with your pinky finger 
• With your pinky on the 8th fret 2nd string, you will play the F note. 

7th Position: Here, you will be placing your hands on the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th fret. It might seem like a daunting task at first, but with the 7th position on the C major scale, you will face less of a challenge due to less shifting of fingers in comparison to the 4th position.

• Play notes on the 7th fret using your index finger 
• Play notes on the 8th fret using your middle finger 
• Play notes on the 9th fret using your ring finger
• Play notes on the 10th fret using your pinky finger.

v. Timing and Consistency:

When you are practising all chords in the C major scale, you need to use them in conjunction with timing elements, meaning when you are practising scales, use the metronome and set it at 5 BPM. Strum the strings required for producing the note while keeping up with the metronome. You need to have patience and consistency to learn all chords in the C major scale. With these two, you will start seeing progress in your ability to navigate scales naturally in comparison to the time you started playing them for the first time. Increase the BPM by 5 when you are comfortable with the current metronome speed. 

Runs 

Scale runs is a method in which you will be ascending up or descending down a scale pattern in more of a linear or staggered movement. So when running scales, you will be playing all the notes present in a straight sequence from note 1 all the way down to 7 or vice versa. But when playing these notes, you have to incorporate interruptions or setbacks as well to make the exercise enjoyable.

In the above-mentioned sequence, each number is a note present in the C major scale, starting with the root note C, which is present at 1. In this exercise, you will be moving four notes forward, then two notes backwards, then again 4 notes forward, and so on. 

Here’s how you can practice this exercise on your guitar:

vi. Experiment with Phrasing:

Phrasing is one of the guitar learning techniques that individuals need to practice as beginners so they can become great lead guitarists in the future. This technique is made to help guitarists learn how each note sounds at a different octave or position on the guitar. The phrasing technique is quite flexible. As a result, a lot of guitarists have made their own ways of phrasing major scales. 

For C major phrasing, it is crucial that you start with 4 notes instead of using all chords in the C major scale. This will allow you to focus more on the sound of each note and give you ample opportunity to experiment with your playing. You can use techniques like bends, slides, pull-offs, hammer-ons, and even vibrato to play the 4 notes of the C scale on your guitar. 

After you feel comfortable playing 4 notes from the C major scale, you can change the key, use a different scale shape, or add a few more notes in your phrasing exercise. It is better to add 2 notes after you are comfortable with 4 notes rather than jumping all the way to 8 notes.

The phrasing makes you practice scales in constraint, thus making you start thinking more about which notes you are playing and how you are playing them. The end result of phrasing will be better control of your movement between the notes, and your ears will be more tuned in such a way that you will be able to differentiate each note, along with the key at which the notes are being played. 

Guitar Speed Mechanics can be learned here in great detail.

Conclusion

So this is all you need to know if you want to learn the C major scale on guitar. Some of the most common scales you will find in music compositions are major scales, and C major is the one leading their pack. C major scale is both visually and technically simple to learn. After spending enough time practising it, you can start practising other notes by using sheet music. 

You won’t be able to play the right notes at the beginning and mess things up pretty quickly. But with time, you will gain control over your fingers; with practice, you will figure out ways to make your wrist comfortable on the guitar so each finger can reach the desired note. So don’t stress yourself and most importantly, don’t quit. If you feel flustered, take a break and restart. 

So, what’s holding you up? Start your musical journey now by learning major scales in guitar to make your passion give you freedom, fame, independence, and fame. Good Luck! You can also explore Free Guitar Lessons here to start your musical journey. If you like the free courses, you can buy our membership to access our premium guitar lessons and learn all the essential guitar techniques from top instructors from the comfort of your home!