C♭ Neapolitan Major at a glance
Neapolitan major is rare but striking. It pairs a flat second and a minor third with a bright major sixth and seventh, which gives it that operatic flair. Built on the root C♭, the scale takes on the specific colour and pitch range of that key - making it especially useful in genres and registers where C♭ is a comfortable tonal centre.
| Notes | C♭ D𝄫 E𝄫 F♭ G♭ A♭ B♭ |
|---|---|
| Formula | 1P · 2m · 3m · 4P · 5P · 6M · 7M |
| Step pattern | H W W W W W H |
| Chords in the key | C♭mD𝄫+E𝄫+F♭G♭(♭5)A♭°B♭–D𝄫–F♭ |
Chords in the C♭ Neapolitan Major scale
These are the chords that naturally form on each degree of the scale. Click a chord to open its dedicated page.
C♭ Neapolitan Major on the piano
Improvisation drone · C♭
Loop the root note as a pad to practice improvising over this scale.
On the piano C♭ Neapolitan Major uses three black keys (G♭, A♭ and B♭) and four white. C♭, D𝄫, E𝄫 and F♭ are the white keys you'd normally call B, C, D and E.
C♭ · D𝄫 · E𝄫 · F♭ · G♭ · A♭ · B♭
Try C♭ Neapolitan Major on the virtual piano
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C♭ Neapolitan Major on the guitar
C♭ Neapolitan Major - fr 0–12
C♭ Neapolitan Major on the staff
Notes of the C♭ Neapolitan Major scale
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C♭ | unison1P | 0 | |
| 2 | D𝄫 | minor 2nd2m | 1 | |
| 3 | E𝄫 | minor 3rd3m | 3 | |
| 4 | F♭ | perfect 4th4P | 5 | |
| 5 | G♭ | perfect 5th5P | 7 | |
| 6 | A♭ | major 6th6M | 9 | |
| 7 | B♭ | major 7th7M | 11 |
What makes C♭ Neapolitan Major different
Neapolitan major, despite the name, has a minor third: it's melodic minor with a lowered second. That ♭2 is the only note separating it from melodic minor, and it sits a half step above the tonic like the Neapolitan chord of classical harmony. The upper half (5, 6, 7 and the octave) is the same as in the major scale, which is where the “major” in the name comes from. Its tonic chord is minor, while its IV and V chords are major. On C♭, C♭ Neapolitan Major has D𝄫 where C♭ Melodic Minor has D♭; every other note is shared with C♭ Melodic Minor (C♭ D♭ E𝄫 F♭ G♭ A♭ B♭).
How to use the C♭ Neapolitan Major scale
The diatonic chords of C♭ Neapolitan Major are: i = C♭m, II+ = D𝄫+, III+ = E𝄫+, IV = F♭, V♭5 = G♭(♭5), vi° = A♭°, VII = B♭–D𝄫–F♭. These seven chords belong naturally to the key and are the safest harmonic vocabulary when writing songs in C♭ Neapolitan Major. Each one in the chord table on this page opens its own diagram and progressions.
Neapolitan major is rare but striking. It pairs a flat second and a minor third with a bright major sixth and seventh, which gives it that operatic flair.
Practice tips
Lean on the flat second as a chromatic neighbour to the tonic - gives this scale its operatic gravitas.
Formula & step pattern
The C♭ Neapolitan Major scale follows melodic minor with a flat second, so a minor third under a major sixth and seventh. Step pattern: H - W - W - W - W - W - H. Intervals from the root: 1P · 2m · 3m · 4P · 5P · 6M · 7M. Memorising the formula lets you transpose the scale to any other root note quickly.
Where you will hear C♭ Neapolitan Major
Start with the music described above: listen for C♭ Neapolitan Major in it and transcribe a few short phrases by ear. It's the quickest way to learn how the scale sounds.
Questions people ask
What notes are in the C♭ Neapolitan Major scale?
The C♭ Neapolitan Major scale contains C♭, D𝄫, E𝄫, F♭, G♭, A♭ and B♭.
What is the formula for the C♭ Neapolitan Major scale?
C♭ Neapolitan Major follows melodic minor with a flat second, so a minor third under a major sixth and seventh.
Is C♭ Neapolitan Major a major or minor scale?
C♭ Neapolitan Major is a neapolitan major scale. Melodic minor with a flat second - operatic, dramatic and angular.
What chords belong to the C♭ Neapolitan Major scale?
The diatonic chords of C♭ Neapolitan Major are C♭m, D𝄫+, E𝄫+, F♭, G♭(♭5), A♭°, B♭–D𝄫–F♭.
Which genres use C♭ Neapolitan Major?
Neapolitan major is rare but striking. It pairs a flat second and a minor third with a bright major sixth and seventh, which gives it that operatic flair.
How do you play the C♭ Neapolitan Major scale on the piano?
On the piano C♭ Neapolitan Major uses three black keys (G♭, A♭ and B♭) and four white. C♭, D𝄫, E𝄫 and F♭ are the white keys you'd normally call B, C, D and E.
What is the difference between C♭ Neapolitan Major and C♭ Melodic Minor?
On C♭, C♭ Neapolitan Major has D𝄫 where C♭ Melodic Minor has D♭; every other note is shared with C♭ Melodic Minor (C♭ D♭ E𝄫 F♭ G♭ A♭ B♭).
How do I practise the C♭ Neapolitan Major scale?
Lean on the flat second as a chromatic neighbour to the tonic - gives this scale its operatic gravitas.