Guitar scale · Ionian augmented
F# Ionian #5 Scale
Mode 3 of Harmonic Minor: the major scale with a raised 5th, also called Ionian augmented.
Tap any note to hear it.
F# Ionian #5 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|-----------------------------2-4-6-| B|-----------------------3-4-6-------| G|-------------------3-4-------------| D|-------------3-4-6-----------------| A|-------2-5-6-----------------------| E|-2-4-6-----------------------------|
e|-----------------------------4-6-7-| B|-------------------------6-7-------| G|-------------------4-7-8-----------| D|-------------4-6-8-----------------| A|-------5-6-8-----------------------| E|-4-6-7-----------------------------|
e|-------------------------------6-7-10-| B|---------------------------7-9--------| G|--------------------7-8-10------------| D|--------------6-8-9-------------------| A|--------6-8-9-------------------------| E|-6-7-10-------------------------------|
e|-----------------------------------------10-11-13-| B|-----------------------------------11-12----------| G|--------------------------10-11-13----------------| D|------------------9-12-13-------------------------| A|----------9-11-13---------------------------------| E|-10-11-13-----------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------11-13-14-| B|-------------------------------------12-15----------| G|----------------------------11-13-15----------------| D|-------------------12-13-15-------------------------| A|----------11-13-14----------------------------------| E|-11-13-14-------------------------------------------|
How to play F# Ionian #5 on guitar
Find the root first: F# is at fret 2 on the low E string and fret 9 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every F# 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 2–6. 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.
F# Ionian #5 is also written Gb Ionian #5: Gb Ab Bb Cb D Eb F. The frets are the same; under that name every note keeps its own letter, with no double sharps or flats.
Degrees
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | F# |
| 2 | G# |
| 3 | A# |
| 4 | B |
| ♯5 | D |
| 6 | D# |
| 7 | E# |
Chords in F# Ionian #5
Stack every other note of the scale and you get these seven chords. They are the chords that sound "at home" in F# Ionian #5; tap one to see its shapes.
| Degree | Chord | 7th chord | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| I+ | F#aug | F#maj7#5 | Tonic |
| ii | G#m | G#m7 | Supertonic |
| III | A# | A#7 | Mediant |
| IV | B | Bmaj7 | Subdominant |
| ♯v° | Ddim | Ddim7 | Dominant |
| vi | D#m | D#m(maj7) | Submediant |
| vii° | E#dim | E#m7b5 | Leading tone / subtonic |
Fretwise · Free on iPhone & Android
Practise F# Ionian #5 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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Questions
- What notes are in the F# Ionian #5 Scale?
- The F# Ionian #5 Scale has 7 notes: F#, G#, A#, B, D, D#, E#.
- What chords are in the F# Ionian #5 Scale?
- The chords of F# Ionian #5 are F#aug (I+), G#m (ii), A# (III), B (IV), Ddim (♯v°), D#m (vi), E#dim (vii°).
- What is the formula of the ionian #5 scale?
- 1 2 3 4 ♯5 6 7, which is the step pattern W W H W+H H W H (W = whole step, H = half step).
- Where do I play F# Ionian #5 on the guitar?
- The root F# is at fret 2 on the low E string and fret 9 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 2–6, and four more positions connect it up the neck.