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