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