B flat blues scale on guitar

The blues scale is a minor pentatonic with an added flat fifth, the “blue note”. This passing note gives blues, rock and jazz their signature sound.

On the whole neck

EADGBEF♭FA♭B♭D♭E♭F♭B♭D♭E♭F♭FA♭E♭F♭FA♭B♭D♭A♭B♭D♭E♭F♭FD♭E♭F♭FA♭B♭F♭FA♭B♭D♭E♭F♭0123456789101112
EADGBEF♭FA♭B♭D♭E♭F♭B♭D♭E♭F♭FA♭E♭F♭FA♭B♭D♭A♭B♭D♭E♭F♭FD♭E♭F♭FA♭B♭F♭FA♭B♭D♭E♭F♭0123456789101112

Position from fret 6

EADGBEB♭D♭E♭F♭FA♭B♭D♭E♭F♭FA♭B♭D♭6789
EADGBEB♭D♭E♭F♭FA♭B♭D♭E♭F♭FA♭B♭D♭6789

Root notes are filled. The position groups the notes of the scale in one area of the neck, starting from the root on the 6th string.

Notes of the scale

DegreeNoteInterval
1B♭ (B flat)root
2D♭ (D flat)minor third
3E♭ (E flat)perfect fourth
4F♭ (F flat)diminished fifth
5Fperfect fifth
6A♭ (A flat)minor seventh

Steps between notes: W+H – W – H – H – W+H – W (W = whole step, H = half step)

The blues scale is the B flat minor pentatonic scale plus the flat fifth, the “blue note”.

Other B♭ scales

The same scale in other keys