Guitar scale · Ionian augmented
C# 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.
C# 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|-----------------------------------------9-11-13-| B|--------------------------------10-11-13---------| G|--------------------------10-11------------------| D|-----------------10-11-13------------------------| A|---------9-12-13---------------------------------| E|-9-11-13-----------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------11-13-14-| B|-------------------------------------13-14----------| G|----------------------------11-14-15----------------| D|-------------------11-13-15-------------------------| A|----------12-13-15----------------------------------| E|-11-13-14-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------13-14-17-| B|-------------------------------------14-16----------| G|----------------------------14-15-17----------------| D|-------------------13-15-16-------------------------| A|----------13-15-16----------------------------------| E|-13-14-17-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------17-18-20-| B|-------------------------------------18-19----------| G|----------------------------17-18-20----------------| D|-------------------16-19-20-------------------------| A|----------16-18-20----------------------------------| E|-17-18-20-------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------18-20-21-| B|-------------------------------------19-22----------| G|----------------------------18-20-22----------------| D|-------------------19-20-22-------------------------| A|----------18-20-21----------------------------------| E|-18-20-21-------------------------------------------|
How to play C# Ionian #5 on guitar
Find the root first: C# is at fret 9 on the low E string and fret 4 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every C# 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 9–13. 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.
C# Ionian #5 is also written Db Ionian #5: Db Eb F Gb A Bb C. The frets are the same; under that name every note keeps its own letter, with no double sharps or flats.
Degrees
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | C# |
| 2 | D# |
| 3 | E# |
| 4 | F# |
| ♯5 | A |
| 6 | A# |
| 7 | B# |
Chords in C# Ionian #5
Stack every other note of the scale and you get these seven chords. They are the chords that sound "at home" in C# Ionian #5; tap one to see its shapes.
| Degree | Chord | 7th chord | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| I+ | C#aug | C#maj7#5 | Tonic |
| ii | D#m | D#m7 | Supertonic |
| III | E# | E#7 | Mediant |
| IV | F# | F#maj7 | Subdominant |
| ♯v° | Adim | Adim7 | Dominant |
| vi | A#m | A#m(maj7) | Submediant |
| vii° | B#dim | B#m7b5 | Leading tone / subtonic |
Fretwise · Free on iPhone & Android
Practise C# 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 C# Ionian #5 Scale?
- The C# Ionian #5 Scale has 7 notes: C#, D#, E#, F#, A, A#, B#.
- What chords are in the C# Ionian #5 Scale?
- The chords of C# Ionian #5 are C#aug (I+), D#m (ii), E# (III), F# (IV), Adim (♯v°), A#m (vi), B#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 C# Ionian #5 on the guitar?
- The root C# is at fret 9 on the low E string and fret 4 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 9–13, and four more positions connect it up the neck.