Guitar scale · pentatonic & blues
C Yo Scale
Pentatonic scale 1 2 4 5 6 with no half steps and no 3rd. It is called ritusen in Indian music.
Tap any note to hear it.
C Yo 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|----------------------8-10-| B|-----------------8-10------| G|--------------10-----------| D|-----------10--------------| A|------8-10-----------------| E|-8-10----------------------|
e|-------------------------------10-13-| B|-------------------------10-13-------| G|-------------------10-12-------------| D|-------------10-12-------------------| A|-------10-12-------------------------| E|-10-13-------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------13-15-| B|-------------------------13-15-------| G|-------------------12-14-------------| D|-------------12-15-------------------| A|-------12-15-------------------------| E|-13-15-------------------------------|
e|----------------------------15-17-| B|----------------------15-18-------| G|-------------------17-------------| D|-------------15-17----------------| A|-------15-17----------------------| E|-15-17----------------------------|
e|-------------------------------17-20-| B|-------------------------18-20-------| G|-------------------17-19-------------| D|-------------17-19-------------------| A|-------17-20-------------------------| E|-17-20-------------------------------|
How to play C Yo 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 (4, 5), 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 8–11. 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
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | C |
| 2 | D |
| 4 | F |
| 5 | G |
| 6 | A |
Fretwise · Free on iPhone & Android
Practise C Yo 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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- 65 scales and 56 chord types in every key, with CAGED shapes
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- 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
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Questions
- What notes are in the C Yo Scale?
- The C Yo Scale has 5 notes: C, D, F, G, A.
- What is the formula of the yo scale?
- 1 2 4 5 6, which is the step pattern W W+H W W W+H (W = whole step, H = half step).
- Where do I play C Yo 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 8–11, and four more positions connect it up the neck.