A Whole Tone Scale Charts
Explore A Whole Tone across the full guitar fretboard and 5 connected positions. Notes: A, B, C#, D#, F, G. Intervals: 1, 2, 3, #4, #5, b7.
A Whole Tone full fretboard chart
A Whole Tone uses A, B, C#, D#, F, G across frets 0-15.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | #5F | b7G | RA | 2B | 3C# | #4D# | #5F | b7G | ||||||||
| 2B | 2B | 3C# | #4D# | #5F | b7G | RA | 2B | 3C# | ||||||||
| 3G | b7G | RA | 2B | 3C# | #4D# | #5F | b7G | RA | ||||||||
| 4D | #4D# | #5F | b7G | RA | 2B | 3C# | #4D# | #5F | ||||||||
| 5A | RA | 2B | 3C# | #4D# | #5F | b7G | RA | 2B | ||||||||
| 6E | #5F | b7G | RA | 2B | 3C# | #4D# | #5F | b7G | ||||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
String 1: F4 at fret 1 (#5), G4 at fret 3 (b7), A4 at fret 5 (root), B4 at fret 7 (2), C#5 at fret 9 (3), D#5 at fret 11 (#4), F5 at fret 13 (#5), G5 at fret 15 (b7).
String 2: B3 at fret 0 (2), C#4 at fret 2 (3), D#4 at fret 4 (#4), F4 at fret 6 (#5), G4 at fret 8 (b7), A4 at fret 10 (root), B4 at fret 12 (2), C#5 at fret 14 (3).
String 3: G3 at fret 0 (b7), A3 at fret 2 (root), B3 at fret 4 (2), C#4 at fret 6 (3), D#4 at fret 8 (#4), F4 at fret 10 (#5), G4 at fret 12 (b7), A4 at fret 14 (root).
String 4: D#3 at fret 1 (#4), F3 at fret 3 (#5), G3 at fret 5 (b7), A3 at fret 7 (root), B3 at fret 9 (2), C#4 at fret 11 (3), D#4 at fret 13 (#4), F4 at fret 15 (#5).
String 5: A2 at fret 0 (root), B2 at fret 2 (2), C#3 at fret 4 (3), D#3 at fret 6 (#4), F3 at fret 8 (#5), G3 at fret 10 (b7), A3 at fret 12 (root), B3 at fret 14 (2).
String 6: F2 at fret 1 (#5), G2 at fret 3 (b7), A2 at fret 5 (root), B2 at fret 7 (2), C#3 at fret 9 (3), D#3 at fret 11 (#4), F3 at fret 13 (#5), G3 at fret 15 (b7).
A Whole Tone Position 1 chart
Position 1 covers frets 5-9 for A Whole Tone.
| String | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | RA | 2B | 3C# | ||
| 2B | #5F | b7G | |||
| 3G | 3C# | #4D# | |||
| 4D | b7G | RA | 2B | ||
| 5A | #4D# | #5F | |||
| 6E | RA | 2B | 3C# | ||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
String 1: A4 at fret 5 (root), B4 at fret 7 (2), C#5 at fret 9 (3).
String 2: F4 at fret 6 (#5), G4 at fret 8 (b7).
String 3: C#4 at fret 6 (3), D#4 at fret 8 (#4).
String 4: G3 at fret 5 (b7), A3 at fret 7 (root), B3 at fret 9 (2).
String 5: D#3 at fret 6 (#4), F3 at fret 8 (#5).
String 6: A2 at fret 5 (root), B2 at fret 7 (2), C#3 at fret 9 (3).
A Whole Tone Position 2 chart
Position 2 covers frets 7-11 for A Whole Tone.
| String | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 2B | 3C# | #4D# | ||
| 2B | b7G | RA | |||
| 3G | #4D# | #5F | |||
| 4D | RA | 2B | 3C# | ||
| 5A | #5F | b7G | |||
| 6E | 2B | 3C# | #4D# | ||
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
String 1: B4 at fret 7 (2), C#5 at fret 9 (3), D#5 at fret 11 (#4).
String 2: G4 at fret 8 (b7), A4 at fret 10 (root).
String 3: D#4 at fret 8 (#4), F4 at fret 10 (#5).
String 4: A3 at fret 7 (root), B3 at fret 9 (2), C#4 at fret 11 (3).
String 5: F3 at fret 8 (#5), G3 at fret 10 (b7).
String 6: B2 at fret 7 (2), C#3 at fret 9 (3), D#3 at fret 11 (#4).
A Whole Tone Position 3 chart
Position 3 covers frets 9-13 for A Whole Tone.
| String | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 3C# | #4D# | #5F | ||
| 2B | RA | 2B | |||
| 3G | #5F | b7G | |||
| 4D | 2B | 3C# | #4D# | ||
| 5A | b7G | RA | |||
| 6E | 3C# | #4D# | #5F | ||
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
String 1: C#5 at fret 9 (3), D#5 at fret 11 (#4), F5 at fret 13 (#5).
String 2: A4 at fret 10 (root), B4 at fret 12 (2).
String 3: F4 at fret 10 (#5), G4 at fret 12 (b7).
String 4: B3 at fret 9 (2), C#4 at fret 11 (3), D#4 at fret 13 (#4).
String 5: G3 at fret 10 (b7), A3 at fret 12 (root).
String 6: C#3 at fret 9 (3), D#3 at fret 11 (#4), F3 at fret 13 (#5).
A Whole Tone Position 4 chart
Position 4 covers frets 11-15 for A Whole Tone.
| String | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | #4D# | #5F | b7G | ||
| 2B | 2B | 3C# | |||
| 3G | b7G | RA | |||
| 4D | 3C# | #4D# | #5F | ||
| 5A | RA | 2B | |||
| 6E | #4D# | #5F | b7G | ||
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
String 1: D#5 at fret 11 (#4), F5 at fret 13 (#5), G5 at fret 15 (b7).
String 2: B4 at fret 12 (2), C#5 at fret 14 (3).
String 3: G4 at fret 12 (b7), A4 at fret 14 (root).
String 4: C#4 at fret 11 (3), D#4 at fret 13 (#4), F4 at fret 15 (#5).
String 5: A3 at fret 12 (root), B3 at fret 14 (2).
String 6: D#3 at fret 11 (#4), F3 at fret 13 (#5), G3 at fret 15 (b7).
A Whole Tone Position 5 chart
Position 5 covers frets 1-5 for A Whole Tone.
| String | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | #5F | b7G | RA | ||
| 2B | 3C# | #4D# | |||
| 3G | RA | 2B | |||
| 4D | #4D# | #5F | b7G | ||
| 5A | 2B | 3C# | |||
| 6E | #5F | b7G | RA | ||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
String 1: F4 at fret 1 (#5), G4 at fret 3 (b7), A4 at fret 5 (root).
String 2: C#4 at fret 2 (3), D#4 at fret 4 (#4).
String 3: A3 at fret 2 (root), B3 at fret 4 (2).
String 4: D#3 at fret 1 (#4), F3 at fret 3 (#5), G3 at fret 5 (b7).
String 5: B2 at fret 2 (2), C#3 at fret 4 (3).
String 6: F2 at fret 1 (#5), G2 at fret 3 (b7), A2 at fret 5 (root).
Whole Tone scale essentials
- Interval formula
- 1 · 2 · 3 · #4 · #5 · b7
- Characteristic tones
- #4 · #5
Practice the A Whole Tone sound
- Say and play the scale: Play A → B → C# → D# → F → G → A up and back down, naming the degrees 1 → 2 → 3 → #4 → #5 → b7 → 1 as you go.
- Hear its defining tones: pause on D# (#4), F (#5) before landing on A. Listen for how those characteristic tones color the phrase.
- Connect the positions: Work through all 5 position charts. Start in Position 1 (frets 5–9), then repeat a short phrase from the root in each shape. Use the full fretboard chart to find the next A as you move between positions.
Continue with this scale
Take Whole Tone into the matching course and practice resources.