C# Ionian #5 on the Fretboard

The C# Ionian #5 scale contains C#, D#, E#, F#, G##, A# and B#. That is a theoretical spelling with a double sharp: G## sounds like A, and E# and B# sound like F and C. Db Ionian #5 is the easier key to read, and sounds the same.

For the fingering, none of that matters. The root is on the 9th fret of the low E string and the 4th fret of the A string, and the shapes follow the familiar major pattern with one raised note.

Play the C# ionian #5 scale

Use the step menu in the player to switch between the single-string run and the box shapes.

Notes of the C# ionian #5 scale

NoteDegreeIntervalSemitones from root
C#1Root0
D#2Major 2nd2
E#3Major 3rd4
F#4Perfect 4th5
G###5Minor 6th8
A#6Major 6th9
B#7Major 7th11

Structure

C# ionian #5 scale notes:

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

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.

C# Ionian #5 Scale Guitar Patterns

Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.

C# Ionian #5 Scale scale guitar pattern - On one string (B)

On one string (B)

C# Ionian #5 Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 1

Box pattern — position 1

C# Ionian #5 Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 2

Box pattern — position 2

C# Ionian #5 Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 3

Box pattern — position 3

C# Ionian #5 Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 4

Box pattern — position 4

C# Ionian #5 Scale scale guitar pattern - Box pattern — position 5

Box pattern — position 5

C# Ionian #5 Scale scale guitar pattern - 3 notes per string — position 1

3 notes per string — position 1

C# Ionian #5 Scale scale guitar pattern - 3 notes per string — position 2

3 notes per string — position 2

C# Ionian #5 Scale scale guitar pattern - 3 notes per string — position 3

3 notes per string — position 3

C# Ionian #5 Scale scale guitar pattern - 3 notes per string — position 4

3 notes per string — position 4

C# Ionian #5 Scale scale guitar pattern - 3 notes per string — position 5

3 notes per string — position 5

Chords in the C# ionian #5 scale

Stacking thirds on each degree of the scale gives these chords.

DegreeTriadSeventh chord
1 C#aug C#maj7(b13)
2 D#m D#m7
3 E# E#7
4 F# F#maj7
#5 G##dim G##dim7
6 A#m A#m(maj7)
7 B#dim B#m7(b5)

Related modes

These scales share the same notes as the ionian #5 scale, starting from a different degree.

Harmonic Minor Scale Locrian #6 Scale Dorian #4 Scale Phrygian Dominant Scale Lydian #2 Scale Super Locrian bb7 Scale

The ionian #5 scale in other keys

C C# Db D D# Eb E F F# Gb G G# Ab A A# Bb B

All about the ionian #5 scale →

Giancarlo Facoetti, founder of FaChords Guitar

Created by

Giancarlo Facoetti

Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher