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