About the B Blues Scale
The B blues scale is a 6-note scale. Minor pentatonic with added blue note (♭5). Its notes are B, D, E, F, F# and A, built from the formula 1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭7.
- Notes
- B – D – E – F – F# – A
- Formula
- 1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭7
- Steps
- W+H W H H W+H W (3–2–1–1–3–2 semitones)
- Root
- B
B Blues Scale degrees and intervals
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | B | Root |
| ♭3 | D | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | E | Perfect 4th |
| ♭5 | F | Tritone (♭5) |
| 5 | F# | Perfect 5th |
| ♭7 | A | Minor 7th |
Where to play the B Blues Scale on 5-string bass
Frets 0–12 in standard tuning (B E A D G), lowest string first. Root notes (B) are highlighted; the pattern repeats from the 12th fret up.
| String | Frets |
|---|---|
| B0 | 0, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12 |
| E1 | 0, 1, 2, 5, 7, 10, 12 |
| A1 | 0, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, 12 |
| D2 | 0, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 12 |
| G2 | 2, 4, 7, 9, 10, 11 |
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 B
- B Minor Pentatonic
- B Major Pentatonic
- B Mixolydian Pentatonic
- B Natural Minor
- B Major (Ionian)
- B Dorian
- B Mixolydian
- B Phrygian
- B Harmonic Minor
- B Lydian
- B Locrian
- B Diminished (Half-Whole)
- B Diminished (Whole-Half)
- B Whole Tone
- B Augmented (Hexatonic)
- B Altered (Super Locrian)
- B Phrygian Dominant
- B Lydian Dominant
- B Mixolydian ♭6 (Hindu)
- B Bebop Dominant
- B Quartal (Stacked 4ths)
- B Quartal Minor (Stacked 4ths)