About the A#/Bb Blues Scale
The A#/Bb blues scale is a 6-note scale. Minor pentatonic with added blue note (♭5). Its notes are A#, C#, D#, E, F and G#, built from the formula 1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭7.
- Notes
- A# – C# – D# – E – F – G#
- Formula
- 1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭7
- Steps
- W+H W H H W+H W (3–2–1–1–3–2 semitones)
- Root
- A#/Bb
A#/Bb Blues Scale degrees and intervals
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A# | Root |
| ♭3 | C# | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | D# | Perfect 4th |
| ♭5 | E | Tritone (♭5) |
| 5 | F | Perfect 5th |
| ♭7 | G# | Minor 7th |
Where to play the A#/Bb Blues Scale on bass
Frets 0–12 in standard tuning (E A D G), lowest string first. Root notes (A#) are highlighted; the pattern repeats from the 12th fret up.
| String | Frets |
|---|---|
| E1 | 0, 1, 4, 6, 9, 11, 12 |
| A1 | 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11 |
| D2 | 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 11 |
| G2 | 1, 3, 6, 8, 9, 10 |
How to practice the blues scale
- Emphasize the blue note (♭5) with bends
- Practice chromatic runs through the ♭5
- Work on vibrato on sustained notes
- Try call-and-response phrasing
- Mix with major pentatonic for major blues
Blues scale in other keys
Other scales in A#/Bb
- A#/Bb Minor Pentatonic
- A#/Bb Major Pentatonic
- A#/Bb Mixolydian Pentatonic
- A#/Bb Natural Minor
- A#/Bb Major (Ionian)
- A#/Bb Dorian
- A#/Bb Mixolydian
- A#/Bb Phrygian
- A#/Bb Harmonic Minor
- A#/Bb Lydian
- A#/Bb Locrian
- A#/Bb Diminished (Half-Whole)
- A#/Bb Diminished (Whole-Half)
- A#/Bb Whole Tone
- A#/Bb Augmented (Hexatonic)
- A#/Bb Altered (Super Locrian)
- A#/Bb Phrygian Dominant
- A#/Bb Lydian Dominant
- A#/Bb Mixolydian ♭6 (Hindu)
- A#/Bb Bebop Dominant
- A#/Bb Quartal (Stacked 4ths)
- A#/Bb Quartal Minor (Stacked 4ths)