G Major Scale on Guitar: Notes and Chords

G major scale is everywhere. Folk, country, pop, rock, you name it.

If you're new to guitar, it's the scale you should learn after C.

Skip to what you need

• G major scale
• Useful shapes for G major scale
• Open position
• Over two octaves
• Chords in G major scale
• Some theory
• Common chords in G
• Common progressions
• Where to go from here

G major scale

The G major scale is: G - A - B - C - D - E - F#. It has seven notes; one sharp.

You'll notice that G major scale shares all notes with the C major scale (C D E F G A B) except one - F#.

Memorize the note names before anything else. The shapes are movable, but if you don't know the names, you'll never understand why chords work the way they do.

G. A. B. C. D. E. F#.

When you reach the eighth note, you're back to G- an octave higher. And the pattern repeats.

Here's a solid one-octave shape to start with. You could play this scale in many positions; but I think, the one you'll find most useful is- root G on the D string, 5th fret. This works well for lead work.

Try playing with the backing track.

Useful shapes for G major scale

Open position

You may have noticed - G major sounds really resonant; it's partly because G, D, B and E are all open strings when you play the G major. This open position shape brings out that ringing quality.

Over two octaves

This is a movable shape without any open strings.

Slide it up 2 frets to play A major, up 5 frets for C major.

Chords in G major scale

Some theory

If you understand chords in one scale; it's exactly the same in every scale. Take every other note, stack them- you get a chord.

G major scale is G A B C D E F#.

Take the 1st, 3rd, and 5th notes, you get: G, B, D. That's G major.

G - B - D = G Major

Common chords in G

If you do the same for all notes in G, you get:

G - B - D = G Major

A - C - E = A Minor

B - D - F# = B Minor

C - E - G = C Major

D - F# - A = D Major

E - G - B = E Minor

F# - A - C = F# Diminished

G major has one sharp (F#), so B minor and D major will show up instead of B diminished and D minor. Memorize these names. (Why diminished? F# changes the 'interval structure' of those chords. It's a good idea to know about intervals, but we're not talking about that here. Don't worry about it- just remember diminished chords sound unsettling and aren't common; major and minor chords are more common.)

You'll barely use F# diminished outside jazz. The chords you'll actually live in are G (I), C (IV), D (V), and Em (vi).

Here's how to play them.

Common progressions

Most 4 chord songs on guitar use G, C, D, and Em. And for good reason. They are easy to play, and sound great.

Take a look at these common changes. Do you think the chords want to resolve to G major?

• Pop Loop (I - V - vi - IV): G major → D major → E minor → C major

• The 50s Doo-Wop (I - vi - IV - V): G major → E minor → C major → D major

• Moody Ballad (vi - IV - I - V): E minor → C major → G major → D major

• Royal Road (IV - V - iii - vi): C major → D major → B minor → E minor.

Where to go from here

G major has 7 notes, one sharp- F#. Super easy.

If you played with the backing track, you've unlocked G major now. If you haven't, go for it!

What next? Don't treat scales like Pokemons. You don't need to catch them all. Spend time with the backing track above and get used to how it sounds. Move up and down the shape. Hum something. Find the notes. Master this scale properly before you move on to the next.

Next up: D Major Scale

Previous: C Major Scale

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