G Major Guitar Scale — Drop B
Guitar scale in Drop B tuning — fretboard diagram
G Major in Drop B — Notes and Intervals
The G Major scale is the fundamental pillar of Western music, also known as the Ionian mode. On Guitar, it contains the notes G, A, B, C, D, E, F#. It is characterized by a bright, stable, and triumphant sound, making it the primary choice for expressing joy and clarity. It is the essential framework for building major triads and functional harmony in pop, classical, and folk music. The diatonic chords of G Major are Gmaj7, Am7, Bm7, Cmaj7, D7, Em7, F#m7b5. Commonly used in Pop, Classical, Country, Folk, Rock. Notable players include The Beatles, Taylor Swift, John Mayer. Use over major triads, Maj7, Maj9, and any diatonic chord within the key. The default choice for major-key songwriting.
Notes: G, A, B, C, D, E, F#
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3M, 4P, 5P, 6M, 7M
Degrees: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Formula: W-W-H-W-W-W-H
Number of notes: 7
Tuning: Drop B (B-F#-B-E-G#-C#)
Also known as: ionian
Diatonic Chords
Gmaj7 — Am7 — Bm7 — Cmaj7 — D7 — Em7 — F♯m7♭5
About Drop B Tuning
Drop B tuning (B-F#-B-E-G#-C#) takes the guitar into territory traditionally reserved for 7-string instruments, delivering a subsonic heaviness that you can feel in your chest. This tuning has become essential in modern extreme metal, deathcore, and djent, where low-end clarity and rhythmic precision are paramount.
Drop B represents the practical limit of what a standard 6-string guitar can handle before tone quality degrades. With the right string gauge (12-60 or heavier) and proper setup, it delivers the crushing lows of a 7-string while keeping the familiar 6-string layout. Bands like Architects, Periphery (on some tracks), and Parkway Drive have used Drop B to create some of the heaviest riffs in modern metal.
Notable artists: Architects, Parkway Drive, Whitechapel, Born of Osiris, Emmure
Best for: Extreme metal riffs, deathcore breakdowns, djent chugs, and any style demanding the lowest possible 6-string tuning