A Neapolitan Scale: Notes and Open A String
The A Neapolitan scale contains A, Bb, C, D, E, F# and G#. The open A, D and both E strings belong to it, so you can mix open and fretted notes.
The first box begins at the 5th fret of the low E string. Bb, the flat second, is on the 1st fret of the A string, and listening to it against the open root explains the sound better than any description does.
Play the A neapolitan scale
Use the step menu in the player to switch between the single-string run and the box shapes.
Notes of the A neapolitan scale
| Note | Degree | Interval | Semitones from root |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1 | Root | 0 |
| Bb | b2 | Minor 2nd | 1 |
| C | b3 | Minor 3rd | 3 |
| D | 4 | Perfect 4th | 5 |
| E | 5 | Perfect 5th | 7 |
| F# | 6 | Major 6th | 9 |
| G# | 7 | Major 7th | 11 |
Structure
A neapolitan scale notes:
How the neapolitan scale is built:
The neapolitan scale is built from the degrees 1 b2 b3 4 5 6 7, which gives the step pattern H-W-W-W-W-W-H (W = whole step, H = half step).
Counting in semitones from the root: 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11. That makes it a 7-note scale.
It is also known as Neapolitan Major.
A Neapolitan Scale Guitar Patterns
Static diagrams of every position shown in the player above.
On one string (A)
Box pattern — position 1
Box pattern — position 2
Box pattern — position 3
Box pattern — position 4
Box pattern — position 5
3 notes per string — position 1
3 notes per string — position 2
3 notes per string — position 3
3 notes per string — position 4
3 notes per string — position 5
Chords in the A neapolitan scale
Stacking thirds on each degree of the scale gives these chords.
Scales with the same notes as A Neapolitan
These scales use exactly the same notes. Each one starts somewhere else, so the root and the mood change.
| Scale | Starts on degree | Learn the scale |
|---|---|---|
| E Arabic | 5 | Major Locrian |
Other scales on A
Same root, different notes. Play them back to back to hear what changes.
- A Phrygian: shares 5 notes
- A Harmonic Minor: shares 5 notes
- A Melodic Minor: 2 instead of b2
- A Dorian b2: b7 instead of 7
The neapolitan scale in other keys
Keep learning
Created by
Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher
