A Ionian #5 Scale on Guitar
The A Ionian #5 scale, also known as Ionian augmented, has the notes A, B, C#, D, E#, F# and G#. It is the A major scale with the fifth raised a half step, so the usual E becomes E#, which you fret as F.
That raised fifth turns the tonic chord into an augmented triad, an unsettled sound that wants to move. The scale is the third mode of F# harmonic minor. Use the open A string as the root, and find the same note on the 5th fret of the low E string.
Play the A ionian #5 scale
Use the step menu in the player to switch between the single-string run and the box shapes.
Notes of the A ionian #5 scale
| Note | Degree | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1 | Root | 0 |
| B | 2 | Major 2nd | 2 |
| C# | 3 | Major 3rd | 4 |
| D | 4 | Perfect 4th | 5 |
| E# | #5 | Minor 6th | 8 |
| F# | 6 | Major 6th | 9 |
| G# | 7 | Major 7th | 11 |
Structure
A ionian #5 scale notes:
How the ionian #5 scale is built:
The ionian #5 scale is built from the degrees 1 2 3 4 #5 6 7, which gives the step pattern W-W-H-W+H-H-W-H (W = whole step, H = half step).
Counting in semitones from the root: 0, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11. That makes it a 7-note scale.
It is mode 3 of the Harmonic Minor Scale, so both scales share the same notes from a different starting point.
It is also known as Ionian Augmented.
A Ionian #5 Scale Guitar Patterns
Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.
On one string (A)
Box pattern — position 1
Box pattern — position 2
Box pattern — position 3
Box pattern — position 4
Box pattern — position 5
3 notes per string — position 1
3 notes per string — position 2
3 notes per string — position 3
3 notes per string — position 4
3 notes per string — position 5
Chords in the A ionian #5 scale
Stacking thirds on each degree of the scale gives these chords.
Related modes
These scales share the same notes as the ionian #5 scale, starting from a different degree.
The ionian #5 scale in other keys
Created by
Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher
