C♯ neapolitan minor scale on bass guitar

C♯ neapolitan minor uses C♯, D, E, F♯, G♯, A, B♯. Box 2 keeps the root on string 3, fret 4 and string 1, fret 6.

Positions on the neck1 of 4

How it is built

C♯1D♭2E♭3F♯4G♯5A♭6B♯7

Formula 1, ♭2, ♭3, 4, 5, ♭6, 7

How do you play the C♯ neapolitan minor scale on bass?

C♯ neapolitan minor in box 1 runs from fret 0 to fret 3, 8 notes across 4 strings, from E on the E string at fret 0 up to A on the G string at fret 2. 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)	0, 2	E, F♯
3 (A)	0, 3	A, B♯
2 (D)	0, 2	D, E
1 (G)	1, 2	G♯, A

Box 2 · frets 2–5

C♯ neapolitan minor 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 B♯ on the G string at fret 5. The root falls on the A string at fret 4.

Every note in this box, string by string

String	Frets	Notes
4 (E)	2, 4, 5	F♯, G♯, A
3 (A)	3, 4, 5	B♯, C♯, D
2 (D)	2, 4	E, F♯
1 (G)	2, 5	A, B♯

Box 3 · frets 4–7

C♯ neapolitan minor in box 3 runs from fret 4 to fret 7, 11 notes across 4 strings, from G♯ on the E string at fret 4 up to D on the G string at fret 7. The root falls on the A string at fret 4 and the G string at fret 6.

Every note in this box, string by string

String	Frets	Notes
4 (E)	4, 5	G♯, A
3 (A)	4, 5, 7	C♯, D, E
2 (D)	4, 6, 7	F♯, G♯, A
1 (G)	5, 6, 7	B♯, C♯, D

Box 4 · frets 9–12

C♯ neapolitan minor in box 4 runs from fret 9 to fret 12, 11 notes across 4 strings, from C♯ on the E string at fret 9 up to F♯ on the G string at fret 11. The root falls on the E string at fret 9 and the D string at fret 11.

Every note in this box, string by string

String	Frets	Notes
4 (E)	9, 10, 12	C♯, D, E
3 (A)	9, 11, 12	F♯, G♯, A
2 (D)	10, 11, 12	B♯, C♯, D
1 (G)	9, 11	E, F♯

Why it sounds like that

C♯ neapolitan minor lowers the second degree of C♯ harmonic minor from D♯ to D. The scale contains a tritone and a leading tone. Its step pattern is H, W, W, W, H, 1½, H.

When to use it

C♯ neapolitan minor fits C♯ minor and C♯ 5th chords. Its ♭2 and ♭6 create a dark, tense colour for metal and neoclassical lines.

Which position to practise

Practise Box 2 first. The root sits on string 3, fret 4, covering frets 2–5 and setting up Box 3.

Common questions

What notes are in the C♯ neapolitan minor scale?

C♯ neapolitan minor contains C♯, D, E, F♯, G♯, A, and B♯. The scale has a minor 2nd, minor 3rd, perfect 4th, perfect 5th, augmented 5th, and major 7th. It is also spelled D♭ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.

Which chords does C♯ neapolitan minor fit?

C♯ neapolitan minor fits C♯ minor and C♯ 5th chords. The ♭2 and ♭6 add tension over these chords.

How does C♯ neapolitan minor differ from C♯ harmonic minor?

C♯ neapolitan minor lowers the second degree from D♯ to D. The rest of the scale matches C♯ harmonic minor.