E Ionian #5: Bright Major With a Raised Fifth

E, F#, G#, A, B#, C# and D# are the notes of the E Ionian #5 scale. Compare it with E major and only one note moved: the fifth, B, went up to B#, which sounds like a C. The open low E, A and high E strings still ring inside it, but the open B string clashes with B#.

The root sits on the open low E string and returns at the 12th fret. Because the scale is the third mode of C# harmonic minor, a C# minor progression gives you a place to try it. Read which scale fits which chord before you reach for the augmented sound.

Play the E ionian #5 scale

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

Notes of the E ionian #5 scale

NoteDegreeIntervalSemitones from root
E1Root0
F#2Major 2nd2
G#3Major 3rd4
A4Perfect 4th5
B##5Minor 6th8
C#6Major 6th9
D#7Major 7th11

Structure

E ionian #5 scale notes:

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

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.

E Ionian #5 Scale Guitar Patterns

Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.

E Ionian #5 Scale scale guitar pattern - On one string (low E)

On one string (low E)

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

Box pattern — position 1

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

Box pattern — position 2

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

Box pattern — position 3

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

Box pattern — position 4

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

Box pattern — position 5

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

3 notes per string — position 1

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

3 notes per string — position 2

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

3 notes per string — position 3

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

3 notes per string — position 4

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

3 notes per string — position 5

Chords in the E ionian #5 scale

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

DegreeTriadSeventh chord
1 Eaug Emaj7(b13)
2 F#m F#m7
3 G# G#7
4 A Amaj7
#5 B#dim B#dim7
6 C#m C#m(maj7)
7 D#dim D#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