C Neapolitan major scale: notes, chords and guitar positions

Scale

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Colour key

R234p567

Each colour is a scale degree, counted from the key. A ♭ or ♯ note keeps its degree's colour: ♭3 is still amber.

C Neapolitan major

Melodic minor with a ♭2. Dark but smooth, a little regal.

Where you hear it: Over minor tonics with a ♭9 colour.

Key signature 3♭ (B♭ E♭ A♭)as E♭ major / C minor, plus D♭ A♮ B♮ written in

Step pattern H – W – W – W – W – W – H

Compared with C major: ♭2 D → D♭, ♭3 E → E♭
Compared with C natural minor: ♭2 D → D♭, ♯6 A♭ → A, ♯7 B♭ → B

Hover to compare

C Neapolitan major on the guitar

R234p567

Shapes

Extra notes

Pick a position below to outline it on the neck.

in the pentatonic r ♭3 4 5 7: playedother notes of Neapolitan major: 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 Neapolitan major

Neapolitan major is a scale of its own, not a mode of the major, harmonic minor or melodic minor scale, so no named mode shares its notes.

Every chord in C Neapolitan major

Cm(maj7)1/6
mediumfret 3
D♭maj7♯51/18
easyfret 9· shell
E♭7♯51/12
easyfret 8· shell
F71/19
easyfret 1· shell
G7♭51/11
easyfret 3· shell
Am7♭51/15
easyfret 5· shell
Bsus2(♭5)(?)1/3
easyfret 2· adds mode notes

Each chord stacks every other note of the scale (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th). Tap a row to hear it.

Sus and extension chords from each chord

From Cm 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 Neapolitan major.

Hover or focus a small bubble for what it is, click to keep the note open.

i Cm(maj7)

Notes: C E♭ G B

fret 3 · 1/4

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭II+ D♭maj7♯5

Notes: D♭ F A C

fret 6 · 1/6

Closest shape: leaves out a colour note.

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭III+ E♭7♯5

Notes: E♭ G B D♭

fret 11 · 1/7

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

IV F7

Notes: F A C E♭

fret 1 · 1/11

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

V G7♭5

Notes: G B D♭ F

fret 10 · 1/4

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

vi° Am7♭5

Notes: A C E♭ G

fret 5 · 1/9

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

VII Bsus2(♭5)

Notes: B D♭ F A

No common guitar shape for this chord in the library.

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

C Neapolitan major

Melodic minor with a ♭2. Dark but smooth, a little regal.

Where you hear it: Over minor tonics with a ♭9 colour.

Key signature 3♭ (B♭ E♭ A♭)as E♭ major / C minor, plus D♭ A♮ B♮ written in

Step pattern H – W – W – W – W – W – H

Compared with C major: ♭2 D → D♭, ♭3 E → E♭

Compared with C natural minor: ♭2 D → D♭, ♯6 A♭ → A, ♯7 B♭ → B

C Neapolitan major on the guitar

R234p567

Shapes

Extra notes

Pick a position below to outline it on the neck.

Sus and extension chords from each chord

From Cm 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 Neapolitan major.

Hover or focus a small bubble for what it is, click to keep the note open.

i Cm(maj7)

Notes: C E♭ G B

fret 3 · 1/4

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭II+ D♭maj7♯5

Notes: D♭ F A C

fret 6 · 1/6

Closest shape: leaves out a colour note.

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

♭III+ E♭7♯5

Notes: E♭ G B D♭

fret 11 · 1/7

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

IV F7

Notes: F A C E♭

fret 1 · 1/11

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

V G7♭5

Notes: G B D♭ F

fret 10 · 1/4

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

vi° Am7♭5

Notes: A C E♭ G

fret 5 · 1/9

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

VII Bsus2(♭5)

Notes: B D♭ F A

No common guitar shape for this chord in the library.

Hover a bubble to see it here; click to hear it and keep it.

Scales and modes

Colour key

C Neapolitan major

C Neapolitan major on the guitar

Modes with the same notes as C Neapolitan major

Every chord in C Neapolitan major

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Scales and modes

Colour key

C Neapolitan major

C Neapolitan major on the guitar

Modes with the same notes as C Neapolitan major

Every chord in C Neapolitan major

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour keyi

C Neapolitan major

C Neapolitan major on the guitari

Modes with the same notes as C Neapolitan major

Every chord in C Neapolitan major

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour keyi

C Neapolitan major

C Neapolitan major on the guitari

Modes with the same notes as C Neapolitan major

Every chord in C Neapolitan major

Sus and extension chords from each chord

Colour key

C Neapolitan major on the guitar

Colour key

C Neapolitan major on the guitar