C Whole Tone Scale Charts
Explore C Whole Tone across the full guitar fretboard and 5 connected positions. Notes: C, D, E, F#, G#, A#. Intervals: 1, 2, 3, #4, #5, b7.
C Whole Tone full fretboard chart
C Whole Tone uses C, D, E, F#, G#, A# across frets 0-15.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 3E | #4F# | #5G# | b7A# | RC | 2D | 3E | #4F# | ||||||||
| 2B | RC | 2D | 3E | #4F# | #5G# | b7A# | RC | 2D | ||||||||
| 3G | #5G# | b7A# | RC | 2D | 3E | #4F# | #5G# | b7A# | ||||||||
| 4D | 2D | 3E | #4F# | #5G# | b7A# | RC | 2D | 3E | ||||||||
| 5A | b7A# | RC | 2D | 3E | #4F# | #5G# | b7A# | RC | ||||||||
| 6E | 3E | #4F# | #5G# | b7A# | RC | 2D | 3E | #4F# | ||||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
String 1: E4 at fret 0 (3), F#4 at fret 2 (#4), G#4 at fret 4 (#5), A#4 at fret 6 (b7), C5 at fret 8 (root), D5 at fret 10 (2), E5 at fret 12 (3), F#5 at fret 14 (#4).
String 2: C4 at fret 1 (root), D4 at fret 3 (2), E4 at fret 5 (3), F#4 at fret 7 (#4), G#4 at fret 9 (#5), A#4 at fret 11 (b7), C5 at fret 13 (root), D5 at fret 15 (2).
String 3: G#3 at fret 1 (#5), A#3 at fret 3 (b7), C4 at fret 5 (root), D4 at fret 7 (2), E4 at fret 9 (3), F#4 at fret 11 (#4), G#4 at fret 13 (#5), A#4 at fret 15 (b7).
String 4: D3 at fret 0 (2), E3 at fret 2 (3), F#3 at fret 4 (#4), G#3 at fret 6 (#5), A#3 at fret 8 (b7), C4 at fret 10 (root), D4 at fret 12 (2), E4 at fret 14 (3).
String 5: A#2 at fret 1 (b7), C3 at fret 3 (root), D3 at fret 5 (2), E3 at fret 7 (3), F#3 at fret 9 (#4), G#3 at fret 11 (#5), A#3 at fret 13 (b7), C4 at fret 15 (root).
String 6: E2 at fret 0 (3), F#2 at fret 2 (#4), G#2 at fret 4 (#5), A#2 at fret 6 (b7), C3 at fret 8 (root), D3 at fret 10 (2), E3 at fret 12 (3), F#3 at fret 14 (#4).
C Whole Tone Position 1 chart
Position 1 covers frets 8-12 for C Whole Tone.
| String | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | RC | 2D | 3E | ||
| 2B | #5G# | b7A# | |||
| 3G | 3E | #4F# | |||
| 4D | b7A# | RC | 2D | ||
| 5A | #4F# | #5G# | |||
| 6E | RC | 2D | 3E | ||
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
String 1: C5 at fret 8 (root), D5 at fret 10 (2), E5 at fret 12 (3).
String 2: G#4 at fret 9 (#5), A#4 at fret 11 (b7).
String 3: E4 at fret 9 (3), F#4 at fret 11 (#4).
String 4: A#3 at fret 8 (b7), C4 at fret 10 (root), D4 at fret 12 (2).
String 5: F#3 at fret 9 (#4), G#3 at fret 11 (#5).
String 6: C3 at fret 8 (root), D3 at fret 10 (2), E3 at fret 12 (3).
C Whole Tone Position 2 chart
Position 2 covers frets 10-14 for C Whole Tone.
| String | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 2D | 3E | #4F# | ||
| 2B | b7A# | RC | |||
| 3G | #4F# | #5G# | |||
| 4D | RC | 2D | 3E | ||
| 5A | #5G# | b7A# | |||
| 6E | 2D | 3E | #4F# | ||
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
String 1: D5 at fret 10 (2), E5 at fret 12 (3), F#5 at fret 14 (#4).
String 2: A#4 at fret 11 (b7), C5 at fret 13 (root).
String 3: F#4 at fret 11 (#4), G#4 at fret 13 (#5).
String 4: C4 at fret 10 (root), D4 at fret 12 (2), E4 at fret 14 (3).
String 5: G#3 at fret 11 (#5), A#3 at fret 13 (b7).
String 6: D3 at fret 10 (2), E3 at fret 12 (3), F#3 at fret 14 (#4).
C Whole Tone Position 3 chart
Position 3 covers frets 0-4 for C Whole Tone.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 3E | #4F# | #5G# | ||
| 2B | RC | 2D | |||
| 3G | #5G# | b7A# | |||
| 4D | 2D | 3E | #4F# | ||
| 5A | b7A# | RC | |||
| 6E | 3E | #4F# | #5G# | ||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
String 1: E4 at fret 0 (3), F#4 at fret 2 (#4), G#4 at fret 4 (#5).
String 2: C4 at fret 1 (root), D4 at fret 3 (2).
String 3: G#3 at fret 1 (#5), A#3 at fret 3 (b7).
String 4: D3 at fret 0 (2), E3 at fret 2 (3), F#3 at fret 4 (#4).
String 5: A#2 at fret 1 (b7), C3 at fret 3 (root).
String 6: E2 at fret 0 (3), F#2 at fret 2 (#4), G#2 at fret 4 (#5).
C Whole Tone Position 4 chart
Position 4 covers frets 2-6 for C Whole Tone.
| String | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | #4F# | #5G# | b7A# | ||
| 2B | 2D | 3E | |||
| 3G | b7A# | RC | |||
| 4D | 3E | #4F# | #5G# | ||
| 5A | RC | 2D | |||
| 6E | #4F# | #5G# | b7A# | ||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
String 1: F#4 at fret 2 (#4), G#4 at fret 4 (#5), A#4 at fret 6 (b7).
String 2: D4 at fret 3 (2), E4 at fret 5 (3).
String 3: A#3 at fret 3 (b7), C4 at fret 5 (root).
String 4: E3 at fret 2 (3), F#3 at fret 4 (#4), G#3 at fret 6 (#5).
String 5: C3 at fret 3 (root), D3 at fret 5 (2).
String 6: F#2 at fret 2 (#4), G#2 at fret 4 (#5), A#2 at fret 6 (b7).
C Whole Tone Position 5 chart
Position 5 covers frets 4-8 for C Whole Tone.
| String | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | #5G# | b7A# | RC | ||
| 2B | 3E | #4F# | |||
| 3G | RC | 2D | |||
| 4D | #4F# | #5G# | b7A# | ||
| 5A | 2D | 3E | |||
| 6E | #5G# | b7A# | RC | ||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
String 1: G#4 at fret 4 (#5), A#4 at fret 6 (b7), C5 at fret 8 (root).
String 2: E4 at fret 5 (3), F#4 at fret 7 (#4).
String 3: C4 at fret 5 (root), D4 at fret 7 (2).
String 4: F#3 at fret 4 (#4), G#3 at fret 6 (#5), A#3 at fret 8 (b7).
String 5: D3 at fret 5 (2), E3 at fret 7 (3).
String 6: G#2 at fret 4 (#5), A#2 at fret 6 (b7), C3 at fret 8 (root).
Whole Tone scale essentials
- Interval formula
- 1 · 2 · 3 · #4 · #5 · b7
- Characteristic tones
- #4 · #5
Practice the C Whole Tone sound
- Say and play the scale: Play C → D → E → F# → G# → A# → C up and back down, naming the degrees 1 → 2 → 3 → #4 → #5 → b7 → 1 as you go.
- Hear its defining tones: pause on F# (#4), G# (#5) before landing on C. Listen for how those characteristic tones color the phrase.
- Connect the positions: Work through all 5 position charts. Start in Position 1 (frets 8–12), then repeat a short phrase from the root in each shape. Use the full fretboard chart to find the next C as you move between positions.
Continue with this scale
Take Whole Tone into the matching course and practice resources.