Harmonized G Major Scale

Harmonized G Major Scale

 

G Major Scale notes:

G – A – B – C – D – E – F# – G

When you spread the notes of a G Major scale all over the fretboard (right), you get a visual representation of the Key of G. That’s sure a lot of dots! What do they actually mean?

 

 

 

To the left is the same fretboard grid but with the standard G chord forms highlighted in red.

But what about the remaining scale notes? To find out, let’s focus on the first three open strings since the fourth and fifth strings are octaves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Separating the first three strings, the G major scale notes start with the open third string:

G-A-B-C-D-E-F#-G

 

By eliminating the 4th and 5th strings and taking the first three strings separately, we can build triads. By counting dots down and across each string, we can construct three note chords. The first three connections are shown here:

 

Combining the strings back together we get the three-note  chords that harmonize the G scale:

 

There are three different forms:

1.) Three barre chords starting with the unfretted strings on top and at the 5th and 7th frets. It repeats with the barre G at the 12th fret.

2.) Three “triangle” chord shapes ending at the 2nd, 4th and 9th frets.

3.) And finally, a partial D7 (F#ø) form near the 10th fret.

 

Sound File: