Colour key
R234p567Each colour is a scale degree, counted from the key. A ♭ or ♯ note keeps its degree's colour: ♭3 is still amber.
C Ionian (Major)
Natural 4th and 7th: the "plain" major sound. Bright, resolved, stable.
Where you hear it: Pop, folk and classical. Imaj7 over everything.
Step pattern W – W – H – W – W – W – H
- Relative minor: A natural minor (starts on the 6th degree of C major)
- Compared with C natural minor: ♯3 E♭ → E, ♯6 A♭ → A, ♯7 B♭ → B
C Ionian on the guitar
Pick a position below to outline it on the neck.
in the major pentatonic: playedother notes of Ionian: not playedPlay runs up the position from its lowest note and back down; Sample melody plays a short tune using only its notes. Tap a position's name to see it on the neck.
Modes with the same notes as C Ionian
Every chord in C Ionian
- Cmaj71/22easyopen
- Dm71/20easyopen
- Em71/15easyopen
- Fmaj71/21easyopen
- G71/21easyopen
- Am71/18easyopen
- Bm7♭51/12easyfret 2· shell
Each chord stacks every other note of the scale (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th). Tap a row to hear it.
Iconic progressions in C Ionian
A few well-known chord loops that bring out this scale’s sound. Play one through, or tap a chord to hear it.
I – V – vi – IV
The pop progression: home, the bright V, the sadder vi, then the IV that cushions the return. Four triads, no outside notes, which is why hundreds of songs share it.
I – IV – V
The three primary chords. I, IV and V are all major and between them they use all seven notes of the scale. Folk, country, early rock and the skeleton of the blues.
ii – V – I
The ii–V–I, the basic move of jazz. The roots fall by a fifth each time, the strongest motion in harmony, and the sevenths make every chord lean on the next.
I – vi – IV – V
The 1950s doo-wop turnaround. The vi gives a sad step, the IV lifts, and the V sets up the return to I.
Sus and extension chords from each chord
From C you can go through the 2nd of the scale to sus2 and 9 chords, through the 4th to sus4 and 11, and so on. All seven chords of C Ionian.
Hover or focus a small bubble for what it is, click to keep the note open.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.
Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.