Ionian mode in C on guitar
Ionian mode in C: C, D, E, F, G, A and B, the degrees 1–2–3–4–5–6–7. The box shown is in open position, from the open strings up to fret 4, in the CAGED C form; the lowest tonic sits on the 5th string, fret 3, and the hand stays put in the region, with no position shift.
On the guitar, six strings open the scale into wide shapes — there is room to choose the region of the neck that sings best. Its hollow wooden body gives every chord a warm, natural ring that blooms and fades on its own.
Once the shape is memorized, play the box in thirds: the real memory test.
Text description
Open strings and frets 1 to 4, 6 strings. Root (C): string 5, fret 3 and string 2, fret 1.
- String 6 (E): open, E, third; fret 1, F, fourth, finger 1; fret 3, G, fifth, finger 3
- String 5 (A): open, A, sixth; fret 2, B, seventh, finger 2; fret 3, C, root, finger 3
- String 4 (D): open, D, second; fret 2, E, third, finger 2; fret 3, F, fourth, finger 3
- String 3 (G): open, G, fifth; fret 2, A, sixth, finger 2; fret 4, B, seventh, finger 4
- String 2 (B): open, B, seventh; fret 1, C, root, finger 1; fret 3, D, second, finger 3
- String 1 (E): open, E, third; fret 1, F, fourth, finger 1; fret 3, G, fifth, finger 3
In the diagram, each dot carries its scale degree; 1 is the tonic, highlighted.