A Ionian ♯5 (Augmented) Scale on Guitar — 2 Shapes to Play the Whole Neck
A Ionian ♯5 (Augmented) belongs to the harmonic minor mode family — every mode in it inherits the three-semitone augmented second that gives harmonic minor its distinctive sound, though each mode places that gap on a different pair of degrees. Its notes are A B C# D E# F# G#, from the formula 1 2 3 4 #5 6 7. Computed live for this exact root, it resolves to 2 repeating shapes across the fretboard.
A Ionian ♯5 (Augmented) Scale Notes
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | 1 |
| 2 | B | 2 |
| 3 | C# | 3 |
| 4 | D | 4 |
| 5 | E# | #5 |
| 6 | F# | 6 |
| 7 | G# | 7 |
A Ionian ♯5 (Augmented) Formula
Degree formula: 1 2 3 4 #5 6 7
A Ionian ♯5 (Augmented) on the Guitar Fretboard
The notes of Ionian ♯5 (Augmented) repeat across the guitar fretboard in connected positions. Use the shape below to identify root notes, scale degrees, and neighboring shapes.
- Frets 1–10 (span 9 frets)
- Lowest note E#, highest note D
- 3 A root notes, on the E string (fret 5), D string (fret 7), B string (fret 10)
How to practice this shape
- Start on the root — A at fret 5 on the E string. Play up to the highest note in the shape, then back down, staying inside frets 1–10.
- Your hand shifts 5 times as you cross strings: E→A (+1), A→D (+1), D→G (+1), G→B (+2), B→E (+1). Those crossings — not the notes — are what this position is really asking you to learn.
- Once it feels automatic, move on to the next of the 2 shapes — together they cover the whole neck, and the same pattern repeats from there.
Diatonic chords
These are the 7 chords built from A Ionian ♯5 (Augmented)'s own notes — the ones that will sound like they belong when you're writing a progression, backing a melody, or jamming in this key. The Roman numeral shows each chord's role in the key: capital for major, lowercase for minor, ° for diminished, + for augmented. Not every scale produces a clean chord on every degree — where that happens, we show it honestly instead of forcing a name that doesn't fit.
A Ionian ♯5 (Augmented) Scale Relationships
- Parent scale: F# Harmonic Minor
A Ionian ♯5 (Augmented) FAQ
A Ionian ♯5 (Augmented) contains the notes A, B, C#, D, E#, F#, G#.
A Ionian ♯5 (Augmented) is a mode of F# Harmonic Minor.
A Ionian ♯5 (Augmented) has a natural (major) 3rd degree, giving it a major character. It's derived from F# Harmonic Minor.
The diatonic chords in A Ionian ♯5 (Augmented) are Aaug, Bm, C#, D, E#dim, F#m, G#dim.