Chromatic Scale Exercises with Guitar Tabs

This post features the tab for two chromatic scale exercises on the guitar.

Jump to the Chromatic Scale Exercises.

The Chromatic Scale

The chromatic scale contains all 12 available pitches. Each note is a half-step away from the next. Played in order starting from the A note, it would look like this:

using flats: A, Bb, B, C, Db, D, Eb, E, F, Gb, G, Ab

using sharps: A, A#, B, C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#

Ascending and Descending

When ascending, use your index finger for the first note of each bar as you ascend. Your middle finger is for the 2nd note of each bar. Your ring for the 3rd note and your pinky is for the 4th.

When descending, start with your pinky, then ring, then middle then index.

The Chromatic Scale on Guitar

The Chromatic Scale in one Position

Here is the chromatic scale in one position.

First, place your fingers in position. Index on the 5th fret, middle on the 6th, ring on the 7th and pinky on the 8th.

When ascending use your index finger to catch the 4th into its 5th fret position.

When descending use your pinky to catch the 9th fret into its 8th fret position

The Chromatic Scale in One Position

Exercise 1

This chromatic scale exercise below has a 3-Note pattern.

In the exercises below, your fingers should be using the same frets as shown in the chromatic scale example.

The index finger starts the 1st bar (measure). The middle fingers start the 2nd bar. The ring finger starts the 3rd bar. The pinky starts the 4th bar. When descending, this is reversed starting with the pinky, the ring, etc.

Chromatic Scale Exercises
Scale Patterns

Exercise 2

The exercise below has a 4-Note Pattern.

This is the 2nd and last set of chromatic scale exercises for guitar on this page. Same as in the 3-Note Pattern, your fingers should be using the same frets as in the first chromatic scale e

Same as the 3-Note Pattern: The index finger starts the 1st bar (measure). The middle fingers start the 2nd bar. The ring finger starts the 3rd bar. The pinky starts the 4th bar. When descending, this is reversed starting with the pinky, the ring, etc.

Chromatic Exercises
Scale Patterns

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