Guitar scale reference
C♯ 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 C♯
- C♯ · E · F♯ · G · G♯ · B
C♯ 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 8–12
Ascending and descending tab
e|----------------------------------------9-12--9----------------------------------------| B|-------------------------------8--9-12----------12--9--8-------------------------------| G|----------------------9-11-12----------------------------12-11--9----------------------| D|----------------9-11----------------------------------------------11--9----------------| A|-------9-10-11----------------------------------------------------------11-10--9-------| E|-9-12----------------------------------------------------------------------------12--9-|
Position 2 · D shape · frets 10–14
Ascending and descending tab
e|------------------------------------12-14-12-------------------------------------| B|------------------------------12-14----------14-12-------------------------------| G|---------------------11-12-13----------------------13-12-11----------------------| D|---------------11-14----------------------------------------14-11----------------| A|------10-11-14----------------------------------------------------14-11-10-------| E|12-14----------------------------------------------------------------------14-12-|
Position 3 · C shape · frets 12–16
Ascending and descending tab
e|---------------------------------------12-14-15-16-15-14-12----------------------------------------| B|---------------------------------12-14----------------------14-12----------------------------------| G|------------------------12-13-16----------------------------------16-13-12-------------------------| D|------------------14-16----------------------------------------------------16-14-------------------| A|------------14-16----------------------------------------------------------------16-14-------------| E|12-14-15-16----------------------------------------------------------------------------16-15-14-12-|
Position 4 · A shape · frets 15–19
Ascending and descending tab
e|------------------------------------15-16-19-16-15-------------------------------------| B|------------------------------17-19----------------19-17-------------------------------| G|------------------------16-18----------------------------18-16-------------------------| D|---------------16-17-18----------------------------------------18-17-16----------------| A|---------16-19----------------------------------------------------------19-16----------| E|15-16-19----------------------------------------------------------------------19-16-15-|
Position 5 · G shape · frets 17–21
Ascending and descending tab
e|---------------------------------------19-21-19----------------------------------------| B|---------------------------17-19-20-21----------21-20-19-17----------------------------| G|---------------------18-21----------------------------------21-18----------------------| D|------------17-18-21----------------------------------------------21-18-17-------------| A|------19-21----------------------------------------------------------------21-19-------| E|19-21----------------------------------------------------------------------------21-19-|
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