About the A Blues Scale
The A blues scale is a 6-note scale. Minor pentatonic with added blue note (♭5). Its notes are A, C, D, D#, E and G, built from the formula 1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭7.
- Notes
- A – C – D – D# – E – 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
A Blues Scale degrees and intervals
| Degree | Note | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | Root |
| ♭3 | C | Minor 3rd |
| 4 | D | Perfect 4th |
| ♭5 | D# | Tritone (♭5) |
| 5 | E | Perfect 5th |
| ♭7 | G | Minor 7th |
Where to play the A Blues Scale on 6-string bass
Frets 0–12 in standard tuning (B E A D G C), lowest string first. Root notes (A) are highlighted; the pattern repeats from the 12th fret up.
| String | Frets |
|---|---|
| B0 | 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10 |
| E1 | 0, 3, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12 |
| A1 | 0, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12 |
| D2 | 0, 1, 2, 5, 7, 10, 12 |
| G2 | 0, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, 12 |
| C3 | 0, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 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 A
- A Minor Pentatonic
- A Major Pentatonic
- A Mixolydian Pentatonic
- A Natural Minor
- A Major (Ionian)
- A Dorian
- A Mixolydian
- A Phrygian
- A Harmonic Minor
- A Lydian
- A Locrian
- A Diminished (Half-Whole)
- A Diminished (Whole-Half)
- A Whole Tone
- A Augmented (Hexatonic)
- A Altered (Super Locrian)
- A Phrygian Dominant
- A Lydian Dominant
- A Mixolydian ♭6 (Hindu)
- A Bebop Dominant
- A Quartal (Stacked 4ths)
- A Quartal Minor (Stacked 4ths)