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