E Whole Tone Scale Charts
Explore E Whole Tone across the full guitar fretboard and 5 connected positions. Notes: E, F#, G#, A#, C, D. Intervals: 1, 2, 3, #4, #5, b7.
E Whole Tone full fretboard chart
E Whole Tone uses E, F#, G#, A#, C, D across frets 0-15.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | RE | 2F# | 3G# | #4A# | #5C | b7D | RE | 2F# | ||||||||
| 2B | #5C | b7D | RE | 2F# | 3G# | #4A# | #5C | b7D | ||||||||
| 3G | 3G# | #4A# | #5C | b7D | RE | 2F# | 3G# | #4A# | ||||||||
| 4D | b7D | RE | 2F# | 3G# | #4A# | #5C | b7D | RE | ||||||||
| 5A | #4A# | #5C | b7D | RE | 2F# | 3G# | #4A# | #5C | ||||||||
| 6E | RE | 2F# | 3G# | #4A# | #5C | b7D | RE | 2F# | ||||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
String 1: E4 at fret 0 (root), F#4 at fret 2 (2), G#4 at fret 4 (3), A#4 at fret 6 (#4), C5 at fret 8 (#5), D5 at fret 10 (b7), E5 at fret 12 (root), F#5 at fret 14 (2).
String 2: C4 at fret 1 (#5), D4 at fret 3 (b7), E4 at fret 5 (root), F#4 at fret 7 (2), G#4 at fret 9 (3), A#4 at fret 11 (#4), C5 at fret 13 (#5), D5 at fret 15 (b7).
String 3: G#3 at fret 1 (3), A#3 at fret 3 (#4), C4 at fret 5 (#5), D4 at fret 7 (b7), E4 at fret 9 (root), F#4 at fret 11 (2), G#4 at fret 13 (3), A#4 at fret 15 (#4).
String 4: D3 at fret 0 (b7), E3 at fret 2 (root), F#3 at fret 4 (2), G#3 at fret 6 (3), A#3 at fret 8 (#4), C4 at fret 10 (#5), D4 at fret 12 (b7), E4 at fret 14 (root).
String 5: A#2 at fret 1 (#4), C3 at fret 3 (#5), D3 at fret 5 (b7), E3 at fret 7 (root), F#3 at fret 9 (2), G#3 at fret 11 (3), A#3 at fret 13 (#4), C4 at fret 15 (#5).
String 6: E2 at fret 0 (root), F#2 at fret 2 (2), G#2 at fret 4 (3), A#2 at fret 6 (#4), C3 at fret 8 (#5), D3 at fret 10 (b7), E3 at fret 12 (root), F#3 at fret 14 (2).
E Whole Tone Position 1 chart
Position 1 covers frets 0-4 for E Whole Tone.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | RE | 2F# | 3G# | ||
| 2B | #5C | b7D | |||
| 3G | 3G# | #4A# | |||
| 4D | b7D | RE | 2F# | ||
| 5A | #4A# | #5C | |||
| 6E | RE | 2F# | 3G# | ||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
String 1: E4 at fret 0 (root), F#4 at fret 2 (2), G#4 at fret 4 (3).
String 2: C4 at fret 1 (#5), D4 at fret 3 (b7).
String 3: G#3 at fret 1 (3), A#3 at fret 3 (#4).
String 4: D3 at fret 0 (b7), E3 at fret 2 (root), F#3 at fret 4 (2).
String 5: A#2 at fret 1 (#4), C3 at fret 3 (#5).
String 6: E2 at fret 0 (root), F#2 at fret 2 (2), G#2 at fret 4 (3).
E Whole Tone Position 2 chart
Position 2 covers frets 2-6 for E Whole Tone.
| String | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 2F# | 3G# | #4A# | ||
| 2B | b7D | RE | |||
| 3G | #4A# | #5C | |||
| 4D | RE | 2F# | 3G# | ||
| 5A | #5C | b7D | |||
| 6E | 2F# | 3G# | #4A# | ||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
String 1: F#4 at fret 2 (2), G#4 at fret 4 (3), A#4 at fret 6 (#4).
String 2: D4 at fret 3 (b7), E4 at fret 5 (root).
String 3: A#3 at fret 3 (#4), C4 at fret 5 (#5).
String 4: E3 at fret 2 (root), F#3 at fret 4 (2), G#3 at fret 6 (3).
String 5: C3 at fret 3 (#5), D3 at fret 5 (b7).
String 6: F#2 at fret 2 (2), G#2 at fret 4 (3), A#2 at fret 6 (#4).
E Whole Tone Position 3 chart
Position 3 covers frets 4-8 for E Whole Tone.
| String | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 3G# | #4A# | #5C | ||
| 2B | RE | 2F# | |||
| 3G | #5C | b7D | |||
| 4D | 2F# | 3G# | #4A# | ||
| 5A | b7D | RE | |||
| 6E | 3G# | #4A# | #5C | ||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
String 1: G#4 at fret 4 (3), A#4 at fret 6 (#4), C5 at fret 8 (#5).
String 2: E4 at fret 5 (root), F#4 at fret 7 (2).
String 3: C4 at fret 5 (#5), D4 at fret 7 (b7).
String 4: F#3 at fret 4 (2), G#3 at fret 6 (3), A#3 at fret 8 (#4).
String 5: D3 at fret 5 (b7), E3 at fret 7 (root).
String 6: G#2 at fret 4 (3), A#2 at fret 6 (#4), C3 at fret 8 (#5).
E Whole Tone Position 4 chart
Position 4 covers frets 6-10 for E Whole Tone.
| String | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | #4A# | #5C | b7D | ||
| 2B | 2F# | 3G# | |||
| 3G | b7D | RE | |||
| 4D | 3G# | #4A# | #5C | ||
| 5A | RE | 2F# | |||
| 6E | #4A# | #5C | b7D | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
String 1: A#4 at fret 6 (#4), C5 at fret 8 (#5), D5 at fret 10 (b7).
String 2: F#4 at fret 7 (2), G#4 at fret 9 (3).
String 3: D4 at fret 7 (b7), E4 at fret 9 (root).
String 4: G#3 at fret 6 (3), A#3 at fret 8 (#4), C4 at fret 10 (#5).
String 5: E3 at fret 7 (root), F#3 at fret 9 (2).
String 6: A#2 at fret 6 (#4), C3 at fret 8 (#5), D3 at fret 10 (b7).
E Whole Tone Position 5 chart
Position 5 covers frets 8-12 for E Whole Tone.
| String | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | #5C | b7D | RE | ||
| 2B | 3G# | #4A# | |||
| 3G | RE | 2F# | |||
| 4D | #4A# | #5C | b7D | ||
| 5A | 2F# | 3G# | |||
| 6E | #5C | b7D | RE | ||
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
String 1: C5 at fret 8 (#5), D5 at fret 10 (b7), E5 at fret 12 (root).
String 2: G#4 at fret 9 (3), A#4 at fret 11 (#4).
String 3: E4 at fret 9 (root), F#4 at fret 11 (2).
String 4: A#3 at fret 8 (#4), C4 at fret 10 (#5), D4 at fret 12 (b7).
String 5: F#3 at fret 9 (2), G#3 at fret 11 (3).
String 6: C3 at fret 8 (#5), D3 at fret 10 (b7), E3 at fret 12 (root).
Whole Tone scale essentials
- Interval formula
- 1 · 2 · 3 · #4 · #5 · b7
- Characteristic tones
- #4 · #5
Practice the E Whole Tone sound
- Say and play the scale: Play E → F# → G# → A# → C → D → E up and back down, naming the degrees 1 → 2 → 3 → #4 → #5 → b7 → 1 as you go.
- Hear its defining tones: pause on A# (#4), C (#5) before landing on E. Listen for how those characteristic tones color the phrase.
- Connect the positions: Work through all 5 position charts. Start in Position 1 (frets 0–4), then repeat a short phrase from the root in each shape. Use the full fretboard chart to find the next E as you move between positions.
Continue with this scale
Take Whole Tone into the matching course and practice resources.