What Scale to Play Over Any Chord

Every chord is a handful of notes, and every scale that contains all of those notes fits over the chord — that is the whole secret of choosing scales for solos. Pick a chord below to see its matching scales from the same root (most common first), the major keys the chord is diatonic to, and full fretboard diagrams for every scale on guitar.

Whether it is a plain C major, a jazzy Cmaj7, or an altered C7#9, each page lists only scales that contain every chord tone — so nothing you play can clash with the chord.

Scales over A chords

A major Am A5 A7 Amaj7 Am7 Asus2 Asus4 A7sus4 A6 Am6 A6/9 Aadd9 Am(add9) A9 Amaj9 Am9 A11 Am11 A13 Am13 Adim Adim7 Am7b5 Aaug Am(maj7) A7b9 A7#9 A7#11 Amaj7#11

Scales over A# chords

A# major A#m A#5 A#7 A#maj7 A#m7 A#sus2 A#sus4 A#7sus4 A#6 A#m6 A#6/9 A#add9 A#m(add9) A#9 A#maj9 A#m9 A#11 A#m11 A#13 A#m13 A#dim A#dim7 A#m7b5 A#aug A#m(maj7) A#7b9 A#7#9 A#7#11 A#maj7#11

Scales over B chords

B major Bm B5 B7 Bmaj7 Bm7 Bsus2 Bsus4 B7sus4 B6 Bm6 B6/9 Badd9 Bm(add9) B9 Bmaj9 Bm9 B11 Bm11 B13 Bm13 Bdim Bdim7 Bm7b5 Baug Bm(maj7) B7b9 B7#9 B7#11 Bmaj7#11

Scales over C chords

C major Cm C5 C7 Cmaj7 Cm7 Csus2 Csus4 C7sus4 C6 Cm6 C6/9 Cadd9 Cm(add9) C9 Cmaj9 Cm9 C11 Cm11 C13 Cm13 Cdim Cdim7 Cm7b5 Caug Cm(maj7) C7b9 C7#9 C7#11 Cmaj7#11

Scales over C# chords

C# major C#m C#5 C#7 C#maj7 C#m7 C#sus2 C#sus4 C#7sus4 C#6 C#m6 C#6/9 C#add9 C#m(add9) C#9 C#maj9 C#m9 C#11 C#m11 C#13 C#m13 C#dim C#dim7 C#m7b5 C#aug C#m(maj7) C#7b9 C#7#9 C#7#11 C#maj7#11

Scales over D chords

D major Dm D5 D7 Dmaj7 Dm7 Dsus2 Dsus4 D7sus4 D6 Dm6 D6/9 Dadd9 Dm(add9) D9 Dmaj9 Dm9 D11 Dm11 D13 Dm13 Ddim Ddim7 Dm7b5 Daug Dm(maj7) D7b9 D7#9 D7#11 Dmaj7#11

Scales over D# chords

D# major D#m D#5 D#7 D#maj7 D#m7 D#sus2 D#sus4 D#7sus4 D#6 D#m6 D#6/9 D#add9 D#m(add9) D#9 D#maj9 D#m9 D#11 D#m11 D#13 D#m13 D#dim D#dim7 D#m7b5 D#aug D#m(maj7) D#7b9 D#7#9 D#7#11 D#maj7#11

Scales over E chords

E major Em E5 E7 Emaj7 Em7 Esus2 Esus4 E7sus4 E6 Em6 E6/9 Eadd9 Em(add9) E9 Emaj9 Em9 E11 Em11 E13 Em13 Edim Edim7 Em7b5 Eaug Em(maj7) E7b9 E7#9 E7#11 Emaj7#11

Scales over F chords

F major Fm F5 F7 Fmaj7 Fm7 Fsus2 Fsus4 F7sus4 F6 Fm6 F6/9 Fadd9 Fm(add9) F9 Fmaj9 Fm9 F11 Fm11 F13 Fm13 Fdim Fdim7 Fm7b5 Faug Fm(maj7) F7b9 F7#9 F7#11 Fmaj7#11

Scales over F# chords

F# major F#m F#5 F#7 F#maj7 F#m7 F#sus2 F#sus4 F#7sus4 F#6 F#m6 F#6/9 F#add9 F#m(add9) F#9 F#maj9 F#m9 F#11 F#m11 F#13 F#m13 F#dim F#dim7 F#m7b5 F#aug F#m(maj7) F#7b9 F#7#9 F#7#11 F#maj7#11

Scales over G chords

G major Gm G5 G7 Gmaj7 Gm7 Gsus2 Gsus4 G7sus4 G6 Gm6 G6/9 Gadd9 Gm(add9) G9 Gmaj9 Gm9 G11 Gm11 G13 Gm13 Gdim Gdim7 Gm7b5 Gaug Gm(maj7) G7b9 G7#9 G7#11 Gmaj7#11

Scales over G# chords

G# major G#m G#5 G#7 G#maj7 G#m7 G#sus2 G#sus4 G#7sus4 G#6 G#m6 G#6/9 G#add9 G#m(add9) G#9 G#maj9 G#m9 G#11 G#m11 G#13 G#m13 G#dim G#dim7 G#m7b5 G#aug G#m(maj7) G#7b9 G#7#9 G#7#11 G#maj7#11