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 10–14
Ascending and descending tab
e|---------------------------------------11-14-11----------------------------------------| B|------------------------------10-11-14----------14-11-10-------------------------------| G|---------------------11-13-14----------------------------14-13-11----------------------| D|---------------11-13----------------------------------------------13-11----------------| A|------11-12-13----------------------------------------------------------13-12-11-------| E|11-14----------------------------------------------------------------------------14-11-|
Position 2 · D shape · frets 12–16
Ascending and descending tab
e|------------------------------------14-16-14-------------------------------------| B|------------------------------14-16----------16-14-------------------------------| G|---------------------13-14-15----------------------15-14-13----------------------| D|---------------13-16----------------------------------------16-13----------------| A|------12-13-16----------------------------------------------------16-13-12-------| E|14-16----------------------------------------------------------------------16-14-|
Position 3 · C shape · frets 14–18
Ascending and descending tab
e|---------------------------------------14-16-17-18-17-16-14----------------------------------------| B|---------------------------------14-16----------------------16-14----------------------------------| G|------------------------14-15-18----------------------------------18-15-14-------------------------| D|------------------16-18----------------------------------------------------18-16-------------------| A|------------16-18----------------------------------------------------------------18-16-------------| E|14-16-17-18----------------------------------------------------------------------------18-17-16-14-|
Position 4 · A shape · frets 17–21
Ascending and descending tab
e|------------------------------------17-18-21-18-17-------------------------------------| B|------------------------------19-21----------------21-19-------------------------------| G|------------------------18-20----------------------------20-18-------------------------| D|---------------18-19-20----------------------------------------20-19-18----------------| A|---------18-21----------------------------------------------------------21-18----------| E|17-18-21----------------------------------------------------------------------21-18-17-|
Position 5 · G shape · frets 19–23
Ascending and descending tab
e|---------------------------------------21-23-21----------------------------------------| B|---------------------------19-21-22-23----------23-22-21-19----------------------------| G|---------------------20-23----------------------------------23-20----------------------| D|------------19-20-23----------------------------------------------23-20-19-------------| A|------21-23----------------------------------------------------------------23-21-------| E|21-23----------------------------------------------------------------------------23-21-|
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