D Ionian Scale Charts
Explore D Ionian across the full guitar fretboard and 7 connected positions. Notes: D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#. Intervals: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
D Ionian full fretboard chart
D Ionian uses D, E, F#, G, A, B, C# across frets 0-15.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 2E | 3F# | 4G | 5A | 6B | 7C# | RD | 2E | 3F# | 4G | ||||||
| 2B | 6B | 7C# | RD | 2E | 3F# | 4G | 5A | 6B | 7C# | RD | ||||||
| 3G | 4G | 5A | 6B | 7C# | RD | 2E | 3F# | 4G | 5A | |||||||
| 4D | RD | 2E | 3F# | 4G | 5A | 6B | 7C# | RD | 2E | |||||||
| 5A | 5A | 6B | 7C# | RD | 2E | 3F# | 4G | 5A | 6B | |||||||
| 6E | 2E | 3F# | 4G | 5A | 6B | 7C# | RD | 2E | 3F# | 4G | ||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
String 1: E4 at fret 0 (2), F#4 at fret 2 (3), G4 at fret 3 (4), A4 at fret 5 (5), B4 at fret 7 (6), C#5 at fret 9 (7), D5 at fret 10 (root), E5 at fret 12 (2), F#5 at fret 14 (3), G5 at fret 15 (4).
String 2: B3 at fret 0 (6), C#4 at fret 2 (7), D4 at fret 3 (root), E4 at fret 5 (2), F#4 at fret 7 (3), G4 at fret 8 (4), A4 at fret 10 (5), B4 at fret 12 (6), C#5 at fret 14 (7), D5 at fret 15 (root).
String 3: G3 at fret 0 (4), A3 at fret 2 (5), B3 at fret 4 (6), C#4 at fret 6 (7), D4 at fret 7 (root), E4 at fret 9 (2), F#4 at fret 11 (3), G4 at fret 12 (4), A4 at fret 14 (5).
String 4: D3 at fret 0 (root), E3 at fret 2 (2), F#3 at fret 4 (3), G3 at fret 5 (4), A3 at fret 7 (5), B3 at fret 9 (6), C#4 at fret 11 (7), D4 at fret 12 (root), E4 at fret 14 (2).
String 5: A2 at fret 0 (5), B2 at fret 2 (6), C#3 at fret 4 (7), D3 at fret 5 (root), E3 at fret 7 (2), F#3 at fret 9 (3), G3 at fret 10 (4), A3 at fret 12 (5), B3 at fret 14 (6).
String 6: E2 at fret 0 (2), F#2 at fret 2 (3), G2 at fret 3 (4), A2 at fret 5 (5), B2 at fret 7 (6), C#3 at fret 9 (7), D3 at fret 10 (root), E3 at fret 12 (2), F#3 at fret 14 (3), G3 at fret 15 (4).
D Ionian Position 1 chart
Position 1 covers frets 10-14 for D Ionian.
| String | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | RD | 2E | 3F# | ||
| 2B | 6B | 7C# | |||
| 3G | 3F# | 4G | 5A | ||
| 4D | 7C# | RD | 2E | ||
| 5A | 4G | 5A | 6B | ||
| 6E | RD | 2E | 3F# | ||
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
String 1: D5 at fret 10 (root), E5 at fret 12 (2), F#5 at fret 14 (3).
String 2: B4 at fret 12 (6), C#5 at fret 14 (7).
String 3: F#4 at fret 11 (3), G4 at fret 12 (4), A4 at fret 14 (5).
String 4: C#4 at fret 11 (7), D4 at fret 12 (root), E4 at fret 14 (2).
String 5: G3 at fret 10 (4), A3 at fret 12 (5), B3 at fret 14 (6).
String 6: D3 at fret 10 (root), E3 at fret 12 (2), F#3 at fret 14 (3).
D Ionian Position 2 chart
Position 2 covers frets 8-12 for D Ionian.
| String | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 7C# | RD | 2E | ||
| 2B | 5A | 6B | |||
| 3G | 2E | 3F# | 4G | ||
| 4D | 6B | 7C# | RD | ||
| 5A | 3F# | 4G | 5A | ||
| 6E | 7C# | RD | 2E | ||
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
String 1: C#5 at fret 9 (7), D5 at fret 10 (root), E5 at fret 12 (2).
String 2: A4 at fret 10 (5), B4 at fret 12 (6).
String 3: E4 at fret 9 (2), F#4 at fret 11 (3), G4 at fret 12 (4).
String 4: B3 at fret 9 (6), C#4 at fret 11 (7), D4 at fret 12 (root).
String 5: F#3 at fret 9 (3), G3 at fret 10 (4), A3 at fret 12 (5).
String 6: C#3 at fret 9 (7), D3 at fret 10 (root), E3 at fret 12 (2).
D Ionian Position 3 chart
Position 3 covers frets 7-11 for D Ionian.
| String | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 6B | 7C# | RD | ||
| 2B | 3F# | 4G | 5A | ||
| 3G | RD | 2E | |||
| 4D | 5A | 6B | 7C# | ||
| 5A | 2E | 3F# | 4G | ||
| 6E | 6B | 7C# | RD | ||
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
String 1: B4 at fret 7 (6), C#5 at fret 9 (7), D5 at fret 10 (root).
String 2: F#4 at fret 7 (3), G4 at fret 8 (4), A4 at fret 10 (5).
String 3: D4 at fret 7 (root), E4 at fret 9 (2).
String 4: A3 at fret 7 (5), B3 at fret 9 (6), C#4 at fret 11 (7).
String 5: E3 at fret 7 (2), F#3 at fret 9 (3), G3 at fret 10 (4).
String 6: B2 at fret 7 (6), C#3 at fret 9 (7), D3 at fret 10 (root).
D Ionian Position 4 chart
Position 4 covers frets 5-9 for D Ionian.
| String | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 5A | 6B | 7C# | ||
| 2B | 3F# | 4G | |||
| 3G | 7C# | RD | 2E | ||
| 4D | 4G | 5A | 6B | ||
| 5A | RD | 2E | 3F# | ||
| 6E | 5A | 6B | 7C# | ||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
String 1: A4 at fret 5 (5), B4 at fret 7 (6), C#5 at fret 9 (7).
String 2: F#4 at fret 7 (3), G4 at fret 8 (4).
String 3: C#4 at fret 6 (7), D4 at fret 7 (root), E4 at fret 9 (2).
String 4: G3 at fret 5 (4), A3 at fret 7 (5), B3 at fret 9 (6).
String 5: D3 at fret 5 (root), E3 at fret 7 (2), F#3 at fret 9 (3).
String 6: A2 at fret 5 (5), B2 at fret 7 (6), C#3 at fret 9 (7).
D Ionian Position 5 chart
Position 5 covers frets 3-7 for D Ionian.
| String | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 4G | 5A | 6B | ||
| 2B | 2E | 3F# | |||
| 3G | 6B | 7C# | RD | ||
| 4D | 3F# | 4G | 5A | ||
| 5A | 7C# | RD | 2E | ||
| 6E | 4G | 5A | 6B | ||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
String 1: G4 at fret 3 (4), A4 at fret 5 (5), B4 at fret 7 (6).
String 2: E4 at fret 5 (2), F#4 at fret 7 (3).
String 3: B3 at fret 4 (6), C#4 at fret 6 (7), D4 at fret 7 (root).
String 4: F#3 at fret 4 (3), G3 at fret 5 (4), A3 at fret 7 (5).
String 5: C#3 at fret 4 (7), D3 at fret 5 (root), E3 at fret 7 (2).
String 6: G2 at fret 3 (4), A2 at fret 5 (5), B2 at fret 7 (6).
D Ionian Position 6 chart
Position 6 covers frets 2-6 for D Ionian.
| String | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 3F# | 4G | 5A | ||
| 2B | 7C# | RD | 2E | ||
| 3G | 5A | 6B | |||
| 4D | 2E | 3F# | 4G | ||
| 5A | 6B | 7C# | RD | ||
| 6E | 3F# | 4G | 5A | ||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
String 1: F#4 at fret 2 (3), G4 at fret 3 (4), A4 at fret 5 (5).
String 2: C#4 at fret 2 (7), D4 at fret 3 (root), E4 at fret 5 (2).
String 3: A3 at fret 2 (5), B3 at fret 4 (6).
String 4: E3 at fret 2 (2), F#3 at fret 4 (3), G3 at fret 5 (4).
String 5: B2 at fret 2 (6), C#3 at fret 4 (7), D3 at fret 5 (root).
String 6: F#2 at fret 2 (3), G2 at fret 3 (4), A2 at fret 5 (5).
D Ionian Position 7 chart
Position 7 covers frets 0-4 for D Ionian.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 2E | 3F# | 4G | ||
| 2B | 7C# | RD | |||
| 3G | 4G | 5A | 6B | ||
| 4D | RD | 2E | 3F# | ||
| 5A | 5A | 6B | 7C# | ||
| 6E | 2E | 3F# | 4G | ||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
String 1: E4 at fret 0 (2), F#4 at fret 2 (3), G4 at fret 3 (4).
String 2: C#4 at fret 2 (7), D4 at fret 3 (root).
String 3: G3 at fret 0 (4), A3 at fret 2 (5), B3 at fret 4 (6).
String 4: D3 at fret 0 (root), E3 at fret 2 (2), F#3 at fret 4 (3).
String 5: A2 at fret 0 (5), B2 at fret 2 (6), C#3 at fret 4 (7).
String 6: E2 at fret 0 (2), F#2 at fret 2 (3), G2 at fret 3 (4).
Ionian scale essentials
- Interval formula
- 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7
- Characteristic tones
- 4 · 7
Practice the D Ionian sound
- Say and play the scale: Play D → E → F# → G → A → B → C# → D up and back down, naming the degrees 1 → 2 → 3 → 4 → 5 → 6 → 7 → 1 as you go.
- Hear its defining tones: pause on G (4), C# (7) before landing on D. Listen for how those characteristic tones color the phrase.
- Connect the positions: Work through all 7 position charts. Start in Position 1 (frets 10–14), then repeat a short phrase from the root in each shape. Use the full fretboard chart to find the next D as you move between positions.
Continue with this scale
Take Ionian into the matching course and practice resources.