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C neapolitan major scale on bass guitar
C neapolitan major contains C, D♭, E♭, F, G, A, and B. Box 1 places the root on string 3, fret 3 for an open-position feel.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭2, ♭3, 4, 5, 6, 7
How do you play the C neapolitan major scale on bass?
C neapolitan major in box 1 runs from fret 1 to fret 4, 9 notes across 4 strings, from F on the E string at fret 1 up to B on the G string at fret 4. The root falls on the A string at fret 3.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 1, 3 | F, G |
| 3 (A) | 2, 3, 4 | B, C, D♭ |
| 2 (D) | 1, 3 | E♭, F |
| 1 (G) | 2, 4 | A, B |
Box 2 · frets 3–6
C neapolitan major in box 2 runs from fret 3 to fret 6, 10 notes across 4 strings, from G on the E string at fret 3 up to D♭ on the G string at fret 6. The root falls on the A string at fret 3 and the G string at fret 5.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 3, 5 | G, A |
| 3 (A) | 3, 4, 6 | C, D♭, E♭ |
| 2 (D) | 3, 5 | F, G |
| 1 (G) | 4, 5, 6 | B, C, D♭ |
Box 3 · frets 5–8
C 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 E♭ on the G string at fret 8. The root falls on the E string at fret 8 and the G string at fret 5.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 5, 7, 8 | A, B, C |
| 3 (A) | 6, 8 | E♭, F |
| 2 (D) | 5, 7 | G, A |
| 1 (G) | 5, 6, 8 | C, D♭, E♭ |
Box 4 · frets 8–11
C neapolitan major in box 4 runs from fret 8 to fret 11, 10 notes across 4 strings, from C on the E string at fret 8 up to F on the G string at fret 10. The root falls on the E string at fret 8 and the D string at fret 10.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 8, 9, 11 | C, D♭, E♭ |
| 3 (A) | 8, 10 | F, G |
| 2 (D) | 9, 10, 11 | B, C, D♭ |
| 1 (G) | 8, 10 | E♭, F |
Box 5 · frets 11–14
C neapolitan major in box 5 runs from fret 11 to fret 14, 8 notes across 4 strings, from E♭ on the E string at fret 11 up to A on the G string at fret 14. 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) | 11, 13 | E♭, F |
| 3 (A) | 12, 14 | A, B |
| 2 (D) | 11, 13 | D♭, E♭ |
| 1 (G) | 12, 14 | G, A |
Why it sounds like that
C neapolitan major is C melodic minor with the second degree lowered to D♭. The scale keeps the major 6th and major 7th, so it has a leading tone and a tritone. Compare it with C melodic minor to hear the ♭2 change.
When to use it
C neapolitan major fits C minor and C 5th chords. Use it over C minor for a dark colour, or over C 5th for a tense line.
Which position to practise
Learn Box 1 first. The root sits on string 3, fret 3, with the ♭2 one fret higher, making the half-step motion easy to hear.
Common questions
What notes are in C neapolitan major?
C neapolitan major contains C, D♭, E♭, F, G, A, and B. The scale has a ♭2, ♭3, major 6th, and major 7th. It is a seven-note scale.
Which chords fit C neapolitan major?
C neapolitan major fits C minor and C 5th chords. The ♭2 and ♭3 add tension over these chords. Use it for a dark, exotic sound.
How is C neapolitan major different from C melodic minor?
C neapolitan major lowers the second degree to D♭ compared to C melodic minor. The rest of the notes are the same. This creates a distinctive half-step at the start.