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A neapolitan major scale on bass guitar
A neapolitan major contains A, B♭, C, D, E, F♯, and G♯. Practise Box 1 to keep the ♭2 and ♭3 close under your fingers.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭2, ♭3, 4, 5, 6, 7
How do you play the A neapolitan major scale on bass?
A neapolitan major in box 1 runs from fret 0 to fret 3, 10 notes across 4 strings, from E on the E string at fret 0 up to B♭ on the G string at fret 3. The root falls on the A string at fret 0 and the G string at fret 2.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 0, 2 | E, F♯ |
| 3 (A) | 0, 1, 3 | A, B♭, C |
| 2 (D) | 0, 2 | D, E |
| 1 (G) | 1, 2, 3 | G♯, A, B♭ |
Box 2 · frets 2–5
A neapolitan major in box 2 runs from fret 2 to fret 5, 10 notes across 4 strings, from F♯ on the E string at fret 2 up to C on the G string at fret 5. The root falls on the E string at fret 5 and the G string at fret 2.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 2, 4, 5 | F♯, G♯, A |
| 3 (A) | 3, 5 | C, D |
| 2 (D) | 2, 4 | E, F♯ |
| 1 (G) | 2, 3, 5 | A, B♭, C |
Box 3 · frets 5–8
A neapolitan major in box 3 runs from fret 5 to fret 8, 10 notes across 4 strings, from A on the E string at fret 5 up to D on the G string at fret 7. The root falls on the E string at fret 5 and the D string at fret 7.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 5, 6, 8 | A, B♭, C |
| 3 (A) | 5, 7 | D, E |
| 2 (D) | 6, 7, 8 | G♯, A, B♭ |
| 1 (G) | 5, 7 | C, D |
Box 4 · frets 8–11
A neapolitan major in box 4 runs from fret 8 to fret 11, 8 notes across 4 strings, from C on the E string at fret 8 up to F♯ on the G string at fret 11. No root falls inside this box; it sits between two of them.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 8, 10 | C, D |
| 3 (A) | 9, 11 | F♯, G♯ |
| 2 (D) | 8, 10 | B♭, C |
| 1 (G) | 9, 11 | E, F♯ |
Box 5 · frets 10–13
A neapolitan major in box 5 runs from fret 10 to fret 13, 9 notes across 4 strings, from D on the E string at fret 10 up to G♯ on the G string at fret 13. The root falls on the A string at fret 12.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 10, 12 | D, E |
| 3 (A) | 11, 12, 13 | G♯, A, B♭ |
| 2 (D) | 10, 12 | C, D |
| 1 (G) | 11, 13 | F♯, G♯ |
Why it sounds like that
A neapolitan major is A melodic minor with the second degree lowered to B♭. The scale keeps the major 6th and major 7th, so it has a leading tone and a tritone. Compare it with A melodic minor to hear the ♭2 change.
When to use it
A neapolitan major fits A minor and A 5th chords. Use it over A minor when you want the ♭2 colour, or over A 5th for a darker line.
Which position to practise
Learn Box 1 first. The root sits on string 4, fret 5, with the ♭2 one fret higher, making the half-step motion easy to hear.
Common questions
What notes are in A neapolitan major?
A neapolitan major contains A, B♭, C, D, E, F♯, and G♯. The scale has a ♭2, ♭3, major 6th, and major 7th. It is a seven-note scale.
Which chords fit A neapolitan major?
A neapolitan major fits A minor and A 5th chords. The ♭2 and ♭3 add tension over these chords. Use it for a dark, exotic sound.
How is A neapolitan major different from A melodic minor?
A neapolitan major lowers the second degree to B♭ compared to A melodic minor. The rest of the notes are the same. This creates a distinctive half-step at the start.