Guitar scale reference
B♭ Blues scale on guitar: five CAGED positions
The blues scale adds a flattened 5th to minor pentatonic. That chromatic tone works best as motion and tension rather than a resting point, giving familiar pentatonic shapes a sharper expressive edge.
What gives the scale its sound
Hear the flattened 5th in relation to both the 4th and 5th. Sliding or bending through that three-note area reveals its function more clearly than treating all six notes equally.
- Interval formula
- 1 · ♭3 · 4 · ♭5 · 5 · ♭7
- Notes in B♭
- B♭ · D♭ · E♭ · F♭ · F · A♭
B♭ Blues across the neck
The five views overlap. Root notes are highlighted; use interval labels first, then confirm the spelled notes above.
Position 1 · E shape · frets 5–9
Ascending and descending tab
e|----------------------------------------6--9--6----------------------------------------| B|-------------------------------5--6--9-----------9--6--5-------------------------------| G|----------------------6--8--9-----------------------------9--8--6----------------------| D|----------------6--8-----------------------------------------------8--6----------------| A|-------6--7--8-----------------------------------------------------------8--7--6-------| E|-6--9-----------------------------------------------------------------------------9--6-|
Position 2 · D shape · frets 7–11
Ascending and descending tab
e|-------------------------------------9-11--9-------------------------------------| B|-------------------------------9-11----------11--9-------------------------------| G|----------------------8--9-10----------------------10--9--8----------------------| D|----------------8-11----------------------------------------11--8----------------| A|-------7--8-11----------------------------------------------------11--8--7-------| E|-9-11----------------------------------------------------------------------11--9-|
Position 3 · C shape · frets 9–13
Ascending and descending tab
e|----------------------------------------9-11-12-13-12-11--9----------------------------------------| B|----------------------------------9-11----------------------11--9----------------------------------| G|-------------------------9-10-13----------------------------------13-10--9-------------------------| D|------------------11-13----------------------------------------------------13-11-------------------| A|------------11-13----------------------------------------------------------------13-11-------------| E|-9-11-12-13----------------------------------------------------------------------------13-12-11--9-|
Position 4 · A shape · frets 12–16
Ascending and descending tab
e|------------------------------------12-13-16-13-12-------------------------------------| B|------------------------------14-16----------------16-14-------------------------------| G|------------------------13-15----------------------------15-13-------------------------| D|---------------13-14-15----------------------------------------15-14-13----------------| A|---------13-16----------------------------------------------------------16-13----------| E|12-13-16----------------------------------------------------------------------16-13-12-|
Position 5 · G shape · frets 14–18
Ascending and descending tab
e|---------------------------------------16-18-16----------------------------------------| B|---------------------------14-16-17-18----------18-17-16-14----------------------------| G|---------------------15-18----------------------------------18-15----------------------| D|------------14-15-18----------------------------------------------18-15-14-------------| A|------16-18----------------------------------------------------------------18-16-------| E|16-18----------------------------------------------------------------------------18-16-|
Practice drill
In each position, play 4–♭5–5 on every available string pair and resolve in both directions. Then improvise a short phrase that crosses one position boundary through the blue note.
Use the guitar scale practice guide to turn the diagram into a recall, connection and phrasing routine.
If the interval formula or five-position layout is new, begin with the beginner guitar scale guide.
Open the scale randomiser