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