Guitar scale · Ionian augmented
A Ionian #5 Scale
Mode 3 of Harmonic Minor: the major scale with a raised 5th, also called Ionian augmented.
Tap any note to hear it.
A Ionian #5 Scale tab: all 5 positions
Each tab climbs from the low E string to the high e string. Play it up, then back down.
e|-----------------------------5-7-9-| B|-----------------------6-7-9-------| G|-------------------6-7-------------| D|-------------6-7-9-----------------| A|-------5-8-9-----------------------| E|-5-7-9-----------------------------|
e|-----------------------------------7-9-10-| B|------------------------------9-10--------| G|----------------------7-10-11-------------| D|---------------7-9-11---------------------| A|--------8-9-11----------------------------| E|-7-9-10-----------------------------------|
e|----------------------------------------9-10-13-| B|----------------------------------10-12---------| G|-------------------------10-11-13---------------| D|-----------------9-11-12------------------------| A|---------9-11-12--------------------------------| E|-9-10-13----------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------13-14-16-| B|-------------------------------------14-15----------| G|----------------------------13-14-16----------------| D|-------------------12-15-16-------------------------| A|----------12-14-16----------------------------------| E|-13-14-16-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------14-16-17-| B|-------------------------------------15-18----------| G|----------------------------14-16-18----------------| D|-------------------15-16-18-------------------------| A|----------14-16-17----------------------------------| E|-14-16-17-------------------------------------------|
How to play A Ionian #5 on guitar
Find the root first: A is at fret 5 on the low E string and fret 0 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every A on the neck; the gold ones are the rest of the scale's home chord (3, ♯5, 7), the safest notes to land on at the end of a phrase.
Learn it one box at a time. Position 1, the E shape, sits at frets 5–9. Once it's under your fingers, move to position 2 (the D shape) and play the notes the two boxes share, then keep going up the neck. After all five, the scale joins up into one pattern across the whole fretboard.
Degrees
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | A |
| 2 | B |
| 3 | C# |
| 4 | D |
| ♯5 | E# |
| 6 | F# |
| 7 | G# |
Chords in A Ionian #5
Stack every other note of the scale and you get these seven chords. They are the chords that sound "at home" in A Ionian #5; tap one to see its shapes.
| Degree | Chord | 7th chord | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| I+ | Aaug | Amaj7#5 | Tonic |
| ii | Bm | Bm7 | Supertonic |
| III | C# | C#7 | Mediant |
| IV | D | Dmaj7 | Subdominant |
| ♯v° | E#dim | E#dim7 | Dominant |
| vi | F#m | F#m(maj7) | Submediant |
| vii° | G#dim | G#m7b5 | Leading tone / subtonic |
Fretwise · Free on iPhone & Android
Practise A Ionian #5 anywhere, even offline.
This page is a small slice of Fretwise. The app adds practice: exercises that play as tab, a new routine every day, and the tools to tune and keep time. On iPhone, iPad and Android, no sign-up.
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Questions
- What notes are in the A Ionian #5 Scale?
- The A Ionian #5 Scale has 7 notes: A, B, C#, D, E#, F#, G#.
- What chords are in the A Ionian #5 Scale?
- The chords of A Ionian #5 are Aaug (I+), Bm (ii), C# (III), D (IV), E#dim (♯v°), F#m (vi), G#dim (vii°).
- What is the formula of the ionian #5 scale?
- 1 2 3 4 ♯5 6 7, which is the step pattern W W H W+H H W H (W = whole step, H = half step).
- Where do I play A Ionian #5 on the guitar?
- The root A is at fret 5 on the low E string and fret 0 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 5–9, and four more positions connect it up the neck.