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 6–10
Ascending and descending tab
e|----------------------------------------7-10--7----------------------------------------| B|-------------------------------6--7-10----------10--7--6-------------------------------| G|----------------------7--9-10----------------------------10--9--7----------------------| D|----------------7--9-----------------------------------------------9--7----------------| A|-------7--8--9-----------------------------------------------------------9--8--7-------| E|-7-10----------------------------------------------------------------------------10--7-|
Position 2 · D shape · frets 8–12
Ascending and descending tab
e|------------------------------------10-12-10-------------------------------------| B|------------------------------10-12----------12-10-------------------------------| G|----------------------9-10-11----------------------11-10--9----------------------| D|----------------9-12----------------------------------------12--9----------------| A|-------8--9-12----------------------------------------------------12--9--8-------| E|10-12----------------------------------------------------------------------12-10-|
Position 3 · C shape · frets 10–14
Ascending and descending tab
e|---------------------------------------10-12-13-14-13-12-10----------------------------------------| B|---------------------------------10-12----------------------12-10----------------------------------| G|------------------------10-11-14----------------------------------14-11-10-------------------------| D|------------------12-14----------------------------------------------------14-12-------------------| A|------------12-14----------------------------------------------------------------14-12-------------| E|10-12-13-14----------------------------------------------------------------------------14-13-12-10-|
Position 4 · A shape · frets 13–17
Ascending and descending tab
e|------------------------------------13-14-17-14-13-------------------------------------| B|------------------------------15-17----------------17-15-------------------------------| G|------------------------14-16----------------------------16-14-------------------------| D|---------------14-15-16----------------------------------------16-15-14----------------| A|---------14-17----------------------------------------------------------17-14----------| E|13-14-17----------------------------------------------------------------------17-14-13-|
Position 5 · G shape · frets 15–19
Ascending and descending tab
e|---------------------------------------17-19-17----------------------------------------| B|---------------------------15-17-18-19----------19-18-17-15----------------------------| G|---------------------16-19----------------------------------19-16----------------------| D|------------15-16-19----------------------------------------------19-16-15-------------| A|------17-19----------------------------------------------------------------19-17-------| E|17-19----------------------------------------------------------------------------19-17-|
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