The G Major Scale
The notes of G major are G, A, B, C, D, E, F# — formula 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Key signature: one sharp (F#). Its relative minor is E minor, which uses the same notes from a different home. Below: the full neck, the chords in the key, and the pentatonic that lives inside it.
G major on the fretboard
Practice G major position by position — interactive fretboard →
Chords in the key of G major
Harmonising the scale gives the seven chords songs in G major are built from:
| Degree | I | ii | iii | IV | V | vi | vii° |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chord | G | Am | Bm | C | D | Em | F#dim |
The workhorses are I, IV and V (G, C, D) plus the vi (Em) — the four chords of several thousand songs.
The G major pentatonic shortcut
For soloing in G major, most players reach first for the major pentatonic — the same scale minus the two most clash-prone notes. G major pentatonic: G, A, B, D, E.
Jam in G major
Scales stick when you use them over music. Browse the G major backing tracks, or open JamLab — its key stepper transposes any major-mode track into G major without changing tempo.