Guitar scale · Ionian augmented
Bb 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.
Bb 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|---------------------------------6-8-10-| B|--------------------------7-8-10--------| G|----------------------7-8---------------| D|---------------7-8-10-------------------| A|--------6-9-10--------------------------| E|-6-8-10---------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------8-10-11-| B|---------------------------------10-11---------| G|-------------------------8-11-12---------------| D|-----------------8-10-12-----------------------| A|---------9-10-12-------------------------------| E|-8-10-11---------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------10-11-14-| B|-------------------------------------11-13----------| G|----------------------------11-12-14----------------| D|-------------------10-12-13-------------------------| A|----------10-12-13----------------------------------| E|-10-11-14-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------14-15-17-| B|-------------------------------------15-16----------| G|----------------------------14-15-17----------------| D|-------------------13-16-17-------------------------| A|----------13-15-17----------------------------------| E|-14-15-17-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------15-17-18-| B|-------------------------------------16-19----------| G|----------------------------15-17-19----------------| D|-------------------16-17-19-------------------------| A|----------15-17-18----------------------------------| E|-15-17-18-------------------------------------------|
How to play Bb Ionian #5 on guitar
Find the root first: Bb is at fret 6 on the low E string and fret 1 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every Bb 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 6–10. 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 | Bb |
| 2 | C |
| 3 | D |
| 4 | Eb |
| ♯5 | F# |
| 6 | G |
| 7 | A |
Chords in Bb Ionian #5
Stack every other note of the scale and you get these seven chords. They are the chords that sound "at home" in Bb Ionian #5; tap one to see its shapes.
| Degree | Chord | 7th chord | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| I+ | Bbaug | Bbmaj7#5 | Tonic |
| ii | Cm | Cm7 | Supertonic |
| III | D | D7 | Mediant |
| IV | Eb | Ebmaj7 | Subdominant |
| ♯v° | F#dim | F#dim7 | Dominant |
| vi | Gm | Gm(maj7) | Submediant |
| vii° | Adim | Am7b5 | Leading tone / subtonic |
Fretwise · Free on iPhone & Android
Practise Bb 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 Bb Ionian #5 Scale?
- The Bb Ionian #5 Scale has 7 notes: Bb, C, D, Eb, F#, G, A.
- What chords are in the Bb Ionian #5 Scale?
- The chords of Bb Ionian #5 are Bbaug (I+), Cm (ii), D (III), Eb (IV), F#dim (♯v°), Gm (vi), Adim (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 Bb Ionian #5 on the guitar?
- The root Bb is at fret 6 on the low E string and fret 1 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 6–10, and four more positions connect it up the neck.