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Guitar scale · exotic

C Prometheus Scale

Six-note scale 1 2 3 ♯4 6 ♭7. Also called the mystic scale.

Notes CDEF#ABb
Formula 1 2 3 ♯4 6 ♭7
Steps W W W W+H H W
Mood Mystic, Floating, Colourful
Heard in Modern Classical, Exotic Colour

Interactive scale diagram

C Prometheus Scale · Standard tuning

STR OP 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 E A D G B E

Tap any note to hear it.

C Prometheus Scale tab: all 5 positions

Each tab climbs from the low E string to the high e string. Play it up, then back down.

Position 1 · E shape frets 8–12
e|---------------------------------8-10-12-|
B|---------------------------10-11---------|
G|----------------------9-11---------------|
D|--------------8-10-12--------------------|
A|---------9-12----------------------------|
E|-8-10-12---------------------------------|
Position 2 · D shape frets 10–14
e|-------------------------------------10-12-14-|
B|-------------------------------11-13----------|
G|-------------------------11-14----------------|
D|----------------10-12-14----------------------|
A|----------12-13-------------------------------|
E|-10-12-14-------------------------------------|
Position 3 · C shape frets 12–16
e|-------------------------------------12-14-|
B|-------------------------------13-15-------|
G|-------------------------14-15-------------|
D|----------------12-14-16-------------------|
A|-------12-13-15----------------------------|
E|-12-14-------------------------------------|
Position 4 · A shape frets 15–19
e|-------------------------------------17-18-|
B|-------------------------------17-19-------|
G|----------------------15-17-19-------------|
D|----------------16-19----------------------|
A|-------15-17-19----------------------------|
E|-17-18-------------------------------------|
Position 5 · G shape frets 17–21
e|-------------------------------------17-18-20-|
B|----------------------------------19----------|
G|-------------------------17-19-21-------------|
D|-------------------19-20----------------------|
A|----------17-19-21----------------------------|
E|-17-18-20-------------------------------------|

How to play C Prometheus on guitar

Find the root first: C is at fret 8 on the low E string and fret 3 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every C on the neck; the gold ones are the rest of the scale's home chord (3, ♭7), the safest notes to land on at the end of a phrase.

Learn it one box at a time. Position 1, the E shape, sits at frets 8–12. Once it's under your fingers, move to position 2 (the D shape) and play the notes the two boxes share, then keep going up the neck. After all five, the scale joins up into one pattern across the whole fretboard.

Degrees

DegreeNote
1 C
2 D
3 E
♯4 F#
6 A
♭7 Bb

Fretwise · Free on iPhone & Android

Practise C Prometheus anywhere, even offline.

This page is a small slice of Fretwise. The app adds practice: exercises that play as tab, a new routine every day, and the tools to tune and keep time. On iPhone, iPad and Android, no sign-up.

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  • Maqam & makam between the frets, and the Name the Note quiz

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Questions

What notes are in the C Prometheus Scale?
The C Prometheus Scale has 6 notes: C, D, E, F#, A, Bb.
What is the formula of the prometheus scale?
1 2 3 ♯4 6 ♭7, which is the step pattern W W W W+H H W (W = whole step, H = half step).
Where do I play C Prometheus on the guitar?
The root C is at fret 8 on the low E string and fret 3 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 8–12, and four more positions connect it up the neck.

Prometheus Scale in every key

More scales in C