Guitar Scales — Interactive Fretboard
Pick a root note and scale. Every note lights up across all 24 frets — instantly. No diagrams to memorize, no PDFs to download.
Open Fretboard Visualizer →Most Used Guitar Scales
Major (Ionian)
The foundation of Western music. Bright and happy sound.
View on fretboard →Natural Minor (Aeolian)
Sad and expressive. Used in rock, blues and classical.
View on fretboard →Pentatonic Major
5-note scale. The go-to for solos and riffs in any genre.
View on fretboard →Pentatonic Minor
The most-used scale in blues, rock and metal solos.
View on fretboard →Dorian
Minor with a raised 6th. Used by Santana, Miles Davis.
View on fretboard →Mixolydian
Major with a flat 7th. Dominant blues and classic rock.
View on fretboard →Phrygian
Dark and Spanish-flavored. Popular in flamenco and metal.
View on fretboard →Blues Scale
Pentatonic minor with a flat 5th. Raw and expressive.
View on fretboard →How to Use the Fretboard Visualizer
- Choose your root note from the dropdown — for example A.
- Select a scale or mode — for example Pentatonic Minor.
- All notes light up on the fretboard across all strings and frets.
- Toggle between Tones and Intervals to study the pattern.
- Use the drone to hear the scale while you play along.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best scale for beginners on guitar?
The Pentatonic Minor is the best starting point. It only has 5 notes, sounds great over blues and rock, and is forgiving to play.
How many guitar scales are there?
MusicScales includes over 50 scales and modes — from Major and Minor to Harmonic, Melodic, Pentatonic, Blues, Persian and more.
Can I see scales for left-handed guitar?
Yes. Use the Left/Right toggle in the instrument view to mirror the fretboard for left-handed players.