GuitarManac

E blues scale

Notes in the scaleTap one to hear it and find it on the neck

  1. 1
  2. ♭3
  3. 4
  4. ♭5
  5. 5
  6. ♭7
Key
CC♯DE♭EFF♯GG♯AB♭B
Scale

Every E blues note on the neck.

3579121517EGAB♭BDEGABDEGAB♭BDEGAB♭BDEGAB♭BDEGAB♭BDEGAB♭BDEGAB♭BDEGAB♭BDEGA
E blues scale guide

The E blues scale

The blues scale is the minor pentatonic plus one extra note, the flat 5th. That note is usually passed through quickly or bent into, and it gives licks their bluesy tension.

Notes
E G A B♭ B D
Formula
1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭7
Steps
W+H W H H W+H W
W is two frets, H is one fret

E blues scale positions

The five minor pentatonic boxes with the blue note, ♭5, added. Learn the pentatonic box first, then add the blue note.

  1. 3579121517EGBDGAB♭DEAB♭BEG

    Position 1

    Open strings to fret 3. Starts on E, the root, on the lowest string. Minor pentatonic box 1 plus the blue note, ♭5. Learn this one first.
  2. 3579121517GAB♭DEAB♭BEGBDGAB♭

    Position 2

    Frets 2 to 6. Starts on G, the ♭3, on the lowest string. Minor pentatonic box 2 plus the blue note, ♭5.
  3. 3579121517AB♭BEGBDGAB♭DEAB♭B

    Position 3

    Frets 4 to 8. Starts on A, the 4, on the lowest string. Minor pentatonic box 3 plus the blue note, ♭5.
  4. 3579121517BDGAB♭DEAB♭BEGBD

    Position 4

    Frets 7 to 11. Starts on B, the 5, on the lowest string. Minor pentatonic box 4 plus the blue note, ♭5.
  5. 3579121517DEAB♭BEGBDGAB♭DE

    Position 5

    Frets 9 to 13. Starts on D, the ♭7, on the lowest string. Minor pentatonic box 5 plus the blue note, ♭5.

Chords in E minor

The E blues scale works over the chords of E minor.