B♭ ionian augmented contains B♭, C, D, E♭, F♯, G, A. Box 2 keeps the root on string 6, fret 6 for a mid-neck augmented run.
B♭ ionian augmented contains B♭, C, D, E♭, F♯, G, A. Box 2 keeps the root on string 6, fret 6 for a mid-neck augmented run.
Start with B♭ major and sharpen the fifth from F to F♯. That single change produces the ionian augmented scale, with a whole-and-a-half step between E♭ and F♯. Compare it with B♭ major to isolate the altered degree.
Use it over B♭ augmented or B♭ augmented major 7th. The scale also works over B♭ major progressions when you want a sharp-five colour. It suits jazz and fusion contexts.
Practise Box 2 first. It keeps the root on string 6, fret 6 and spans frets 6–9, giving easy access to the augmented fifth on string 5.
B♭ ionian augmented in box 1 runs from fret 2 to fret 5, 15 notes across 6 strings, from F♯ on the low E string at fret 2 up to A on the high e string at fret 5. The root falls on the G string at fret 3.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 2, 3, 5 | F♯, G, A |
| 5 (A) | 3, 5 | C, D |
| 4 (D) | 4, 5 | F♯, G |
| 3 (G) | 2, 3, 5 | A, B♭, C |
| 2 (B) | 3, 4 | D, E♭ |
| 1 (e) | 2, 3, 5 | F♯, G, A |
B♭ ionian augmented in box 2 runs from fret 6 to fret 9, 12 notes across 6 strings, from B♭ on the low E string at fret 6 up to C on the high e string at fret 8. The root falls on the low E string at fret 6, the D string at fret 8 and the high e string at fret 6.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 6, 8 | B♭, C |
| 5 (A) | 6, 9 | E♭, F♯ |
| 4 (D) | 7, 8 | A, B♭ |
| 3 (G) | 7, 8 | D, E♭ |
| 2 (B) | 7, 8 | F♯, G |
| 1 (e) | 6, 8 | B♭, C |
B♭ ionian augmented in box 3 runs from fret 8 to fret 11, 15 notes across 6 strings, from C on the low E string at fret 8 up to E♭ on the high e string at fret 11. The root falls on the D string at fret 8 and the B string at fret 11.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 8, 10, 11 | C, D, E♭ |
| 5 (A) | 9, 10 | F♯, G |
| 4 (D) | 8, 10 | B♭, C |
| 3 (G) | 8, 11 | E♭, F♯ |
| 2 (B) | 8, 10, 11 | G, A, B♭ |
| 1 (e) | 8, 10, 11 | C, D, E♭ |
B♭ ionian augmented in box 4 runs from fret 10 to fret 13, 15 notes across 6 strings, from D on the low E string at fret 10 up to E♭ on the high e string at fret 11. The root falls on the A string at fret 13 and the B string at fret 11.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 10, 11 | D, E♭ |
| 5 (A) | 10, 12, 13 | G, A, B♭ |
| 4 (D) | 10, 12, 13 | C, D, E♭ |
| 3 (G) | 11, 12 | F♯, G |
| 2 (B) | 10, 11, 13 | A, B♭, C |
| 1 (e) | 10, 11 | D, E♭ |
B♭ ionian augmented, position 1 of the three-notes-per-string shapes, starts on the ♯5 and runs from fret 1 to fret 7, three notes on each of 6 strings. The root falls on the A string at fret 1, the G string at fret 3 and the high e string at fret 6.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 2, 3, 5 | F♯, G, A |
| 5 (A) | 1, 3, 5 | B♭, C, D |
| 4 (D) | 1, 4, 5 | E♭, F♯, G |
| 3 (G) | 2, 3, 5 | A, B♭, C |
| 2 (B) | 3, 4, 7 | D, E♭, F♯ |
| 1 (e) | 3, 5, 6 | G, A, B♭ |
B♭ ionian augmented, position 2 of the three-notes-per-string shapes, starts on the 6 and runs from fret 3 to fret 8, three notes on each of 6 strings. The root falls on the low E string at fret 6, the G string at fret 3 and the high e string at fret 6.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 3, 5, 6 | G, A, B♭ |
| 5 (A) | 3, 5, 6 | C, D, E♭ |
| 4 (D) | 4, 5, 7 | F♯, G, A |
| 3 (G) | 3, 5, 7 | B♭, C, D |
| 2 (B) | 4, 7, 8 | E♭, F♯, G |
| 1 (e) | 5, 6, 8 | A, B♭, C |
B♭ ionian augmented, position 3 of the three-notes-per-string shapes, starts on the 7 and runs from fret 5 to fret 10, three notes on each of 6 strings. The root falls on the low E string at fret 6, the D string at fret 8 and the high e string at fret 6.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 5, 6, 8 | A, B♭, C |
| 5 (A) | 5, 6, 9 | D, E♭, F♯ |
| 4 (D) | 5, 7, 8 | G, A, B♭ |
| 3 (G) | 5, 7, 8 | C, D, E♭ |
| 2 (B) | 7, 8, 10 | F♯, G, A |
| 1 (e) | 6, 8, 10 | B♭, C, D |
B♭ ionian augmented, position 4 of the three-notes-per-string shapes, starts on the root and runs from fret 6 to fret 11, three notes on each of 6 strings. The root falls on the low E string at fret 6, the D string at fret 8 and the B string at fret 11.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 6, 8, 10 | B♭, C, D |
| 5 (A) | 6, 9, 10 | E♭, F♯, G |
| 4 (D) | 7, 8, 10 | A, B♭, C |
| 3 (G) | 7, 8, 11 | D, E♭, F♯ |
| 2 (B) | 8, 10, 11 | G, A, B♭ |
| 1 (e) | 8, 10, 11 | C, D, E♭ |
B♭ ionian augmented, position 5 of the three-notes-per-string shapes, starts on the 2 and runs from fret 8 to fret 14, three notes on each of 6 strings. The root falls on the D string at fret 8 and the B string at fret 11.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 8, 10, 11 | C, D, E♭ |
| 5 (A) | 9, 10, 12 | F♯, G, A |
| 4 (D) | 8, 10, 12 | B♭, C, D |
| 3 (G) | 8, 11, 12 | E♭, F♯, G |
| 2 (B) | 10, 11, 13 | A, B♭, C |
| 1 (e) | 10, 11, 14 | D, E♭, F♯ |
B♭ ionian augmented, position 6 of the three-notes-per-string shapes, starts on the 3 and runs from fret 10 to fret 15, three notes on each of 6 strings. The root falls on the A string at fret 13 and the B string at fret 11.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 10, 11, 14 | D, E♭, F♯ |
| 5 (A) | 10, 12, 13 | G, A, B♭ |
| 4 (D) | 10, 12, 13 | C, D, E♭ |
| 3 (G) | 11, 12, 14 | F♯, G, A |
| 2 (B) | 11, 13, 15 | B♭, C, D |
| 1 (e) | 11, 14, 15 | E♭, F♯, G |
B♭ ionian augmented, position 7 of the three-notes-per-string shapes, starts on the 4 and runs from fret 11 to fret 17, three notes on each of 6 strings. The root falls on the A string at fret 13 and the G string at fret 15.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 11, 14, 15 | E♭, F♯, G |
| 5 (A) | 12, 13, 15 | A, B♭, C |
| 4 (D) | 12, 13, 16 | D, E♭, F♯ |
| 3 (G) | 12, 14, 15 | G, A, B♭ |
| 2 (B) | 13, 15, 16 | C, D, E♭ |
| 1 (e) | 14, 15, 17 | F♯, G, A |
Every chord here uses only notes from the scale. Tap one to open it.
The notes are B♭, C, D, E♭, F♯, G, and A. The raised fifth is F♯. The scale has a major third and major seventh. It is also spelled A♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
The tonic chord is B♭ augmented or B♭ augmented major 7th. You can also use it over B♭ major progressions when you want a sharp-five colour. The scale contains the major third and major seventh.
Only the fifth degree changes: F becomes F♯. The rest of the scale is identical to B♭ major. This one alteration creates the augmented sound.