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You are here: Home / Beginner Guitar Scales / Blues scale

September 4, 2013 By Richie 4 Comments

Blues scale


A blues scale is a six note scale with a numeric formula of 1-3-4-♭5-5-7-8/1 (note absence of the second and sixth degrees). A blues scale is simply a minor pentatonic scale with an additional ♭5 degree. The "Blue" note as it is called, is used to create a heavier dissonance while playing over a blues chord progression or static dominant chord. The blues scale is widely used in blues, jazz and rock.


Blues scale profile

Numeric formula 1-♭3-4-♭5-5-♭7-8/1
Notation formula (key of C) A-C-D-E♭-E-G-A/1
Stepping whole-plus-half, whole, half, half, whole-plus-half, whole
Tonal tone-plus-semitone, tone, semitone, semitone, tone-plus-semitone, tone
Harmonized triads (key of C) n/a
Harmonized tetrads (key of C) n/a


Blues scale patterns

  • Pattern #1
  • Pattern #2
  • Pattern #3
  • Pattern #4
  • Pattern #5
  • Help
  • Guitar neck notes
  • Octave chart
Blues scale pattern #1
Blues scale pattern #2
Blues scale pattern #3
Blues scale pattern #4
Blues scale pattern #5
Scale pattern reading guide
All notes on guitar neck
Guitar octave chart guide


Blues scale audio sample(s)

C Blues scale pattern #4 https://www.ricguitar.com/wp-content/uploads/blues-scale/c-blues-scale-pattern-4.mp3




Filed Under: Beginner Guitar Scales, Guitar Scales

Comments

  1. Nicola says

    May 27, 2015 at 1:45 am

    took a while to figure out what 8/1 meant.
    The most usefull site for lerning to play guitarr i’v come across.
    Thank you Richie

    Reply
    • Richie Brereton says

      May 27, 2015 at 10:55 am

      Thanks Nicola! Cheers, Richie

      Reply
  2. Elijah says

    February 15, 2017 at 4:59 am

    Hi there!
    It’s not a blues scales, is’t it? It’s altered…

    Reply
    • Richie says

      February 15, 2017 at 10:36 am

      Hi Elijah, thanks for the head’s up, think that might have happened with the recent changes to the theme, all fixed now though.
      cheers
      Richie

      Reply

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