Guitar scale · exotic
C# Whole Tone Scale
Symmetrical scale built entirely of whole steps, producing a floating, surreal dream atmosphere.
Tap any note to hear it.
C# Whole Tone Scale tab: all 5 positions
Each tab climbs from the low E string to the high e string. Play it up, then back down.
e|-----------------------------------9-11-13-| B|-----------------------------10-12---------| G|-----------------------10-12---------------| D|---------------9-11-13---------------------| A|---------10-12-----------------------------| E|-9-11-13-----------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------11-13-15-| B|-------------------------------12-14----------| G|-------------------------12-14----------------| D|----------------11-13-15----------------------| A|----------12-14-------------------------------| E|-11-13-15-------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------13-15-17-| B|-------------------------------14-16----------| G|-------------------------14-16----------------| D|----------------13-15-17----------------------| A|----------14-16-------------------------------| E|-13-15-17-------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------17-19-| B|-------------------------------18-20-------| G|----------------------16-18-20-------------| D|----------------17-19----------------------| A|-------16-18-20----------------------------| E|-17-19-------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------19-21-| B|-------------------------------20-22-------| G|----------------------18-20-22-------------| D|----------------19-21----------------------| A|-------18-20-22----------------------------| E|-19-21-------------------------------------|
How to play C# Whole Tone on guitar
Find the root first: C# is at fret 9 on the low E string and fret 4 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, ♯5, ♭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 9–13. 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.
C# Whole Tone is also written Db Whole Tone: Db Eb F G A Cb. The frets are the same; under that name every note keeps its own letter, with no double sharps or flats.
Degrees
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | C# |
| 2 | D# |
| 3 | E# |
| ♯4 | G |
| ♯5 | A |
| ♭7 | B |
Fretwise · Free on iPhone & Android
Practise C# Whole Tone 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.
Free
- 65 scales and 56 chord types in every key, with CAGED shapes
- A tuner with 10 tunings and a metronome from 30 to 260 BPM
- A new Daily 15 routine every day, plus free exercises
- Maqam & makam between the frets, and the Name the Note quiz
One purchase
- 282 exercises that play as tab, and routines with a speed trainer
- Chord & Scale Finder: tap the neck, get the name
- Theory Lab and the Progression Builder with 51 genre loops
- No subscription, ads removed
Questions
- What notes are in the C# Whole Tone Scale?
- The C# Whole Tone Scale has 6 notes: C#, D#, E#, G, A, B.
- What is the formula of the whole tone scale?
- 1 2 3 ♯4 ♯5 ♭7, which is the step pattern W W W W W W (W = whole step, H = half step).
- Where do I play C# Whole Tone on the guitar?
- The root C# is at fret 9 on the low E string and fret 4 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 9–13, and four more positions connect it up the neck.