Guitar scale reference
A 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 A
- A · C · D · E♭ · E · G
A 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 4–8
Ascending and descending tab
e|----------------------------------------5--8--5----------------------------------------| B|-------------------------------4--5--8-----------8--5--4-------------------------------| G|----------------------5--7--8-----------------------------8--7--5----------------------| D|----------------5--7-----------------------------------------------7--5----------------| A|-------5--6--7-----------------------------------------------------------7--6--5-------| E|-5--8-----------------------------------------------------------------------------8--5-|
Position 2 · D shape · frets 6–10
Ascending and descending tab
e|-------------------------------------8-10--8-------------------------------------| B|-------------------------------8-10----------10--8-------------------------------| G|----------------------7--8--9-----------------------9--8--7----------------------| D|----------------7-10----------------------------------------10--7----------------| A|-------6--7-10----------------------------------------------------10--7--6-------| E|-8-10----------------------------------------------------------------------10--8-|
Position 3 · C shape · frets 8–12
Ascending and descending tab
e|----------------------------------------8-10-11-12-11-10--8----------------------------------------| B|----------------------------------8-10----------------------10--8----------------------------------| G|-------------------------8--9-12----------------------------------12--9--8-------------------------| D|------------------10-12----------------------------------------------------12-10-------------------| A|------------10-12----------------------------------------------------------------12-10-------------| E|-8-10-11-12----------------------------------------------------------------------------12-11-10--8-|
Position 4 · A shape · frets 11–15
Ascending and descending tab
e|------------------------------------11-12-15-12-11-------------------------------------| B|------------------------------13-15----------------15-13-------------------------------| G|------------------------12-14----------------------------14-12-------------------------| D|---------------12-13-14----------------------------------------14-13-12----------------| A|---------12-15----------------------------------------------------------15-12----------| E|11-12-15----------------------------------------------------------------------15-12-11-|
Position 5 · G shape · frets 13–17
Ascending and descending tab
e|---------------------------------------15-17-15----------------------------------------| B|---------------------------13-15-16-17----------17-16-15-13----------------------------| G|---------------------14-17----------------------------------17-14----------------------| D|------------13-14-17----------------------------------------------17-14-13-------------| A|------15-17----------------------------------------------------------------17-15-------| E|15-17----------------------------------------------------------------------------17-15-|
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