Guitar scale reference
D 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 D
- D · F · G · A♭ · A · C
D 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 9–13
Ascending and descending tab
e|---------------------------------------10-13-10----------------------------------------| B|-------------------------------9-10-13----------13-10--9-------------------------------| G|---------------------10-12-13----------------------------13-12-10----------------------| D|---------------10-12----------------------------------------------12-10----------------| A|------10-11-12----------------------------------------------------------12-11-10-------| E|10-13----------------------------------------------------------------------------13-10-|
Position 2 · D shape · frets 11–15
Ascending and descending tab
e|------------------------------------13-15-13-------------------------------------| B|------------------------------13-15----------15-13-------------------------------| G|---------------------12-13-14----------------------14-13-12----------------------| D|---------------12-15----------------------------------------15-12----------------| A|------11-12-15----------------------------------------------------15-12-11-------| E|13-15----------------------------------------------------------------------15-13-|
Position 3 · C shape · frets 13–17
Ascending and descending tab
e|---------------------------------------13-15-16-17-16-15-13----------------------------------------| B|---------------------------------13-15----------------------15-13----------------------------------| G|------------------------13-14-17----------------------------------17-14-13-------------------------| D|------------------15-17----------------------------------------------------17-15-------------------| A|------------15-17----------------------------------------------------------------17-15-------------| E|13-15-16-17----------------------------------------------------------------------------17-16-15-13-|
Position 4 · A shape · frets 16–20
Ascending and descending tab
e|------------------------------------16-17-20-17-16-------------------------------------| B|------------------------------18-20----------------20-18-------------------------------| G|------------------------17-19----------------------------19-17-------------------------| D|---------------17-18-19----------------------------------------19-18-17----------------| A|---------17-20----------------------------------------------------------20-17----------| E|16-17-20----------------------------------------------------------------------20-17-16-|
Position 5 · G shape · frets 18–22
Ascending and descending tab
e|---------------------------------------20-22-20----------------------------------------| B|---------------------------18-20-21-22----------22-21-20-18----------------------------| G|---------------------19-22----------------------------------22-19----------------------| D|------------18-19-22----------------------------------------------22-19-18-------------| A|------20-22----------------------------------------------------------------22-20-------| E|20-22----------------------------------------------------------------------------22-20-|
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