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Guitar scales · Blues

B♭ blues scale on guitar (Bb blues)

The B♭ has six notes: B♭, D♭, E♭, E, F and A♭. As degrees: 1, ♭3, 4, ♯4, 5 and ♭7.

Notes and pattern

The B♭ blues scale

Minor plus the 'blue note' between the 4th and 5th, written ♭5 or ♯4. Play it to hear it up and down.

From note to note it climbs 3, 2, 1, 1, 3 and 2 . The two around the blue note are its bluesy rub.

The B♭ is B♭ minor with one extra note, E, the blue note between the 4th and 5th. See that scale.

  1. B♭1
  2. D♭♭3
  3. E♭4
  4. E♯4
  5. F5
  6. A♭♭7
EADGBE0135791215B♭B♭B♭B♭B♭B♭B♭B♭EFA♭D♭E♭EFD♭E♭EFA♭E♭EFA♭D♭E♭EFA♭D♭E♭EFA♭D♭E♭EFA♭D♭EFA♭D♭E♭EF
  • B♭, the root
  • Other scale notes

Chords

What to play B♭ blues over

Play it over a 12-bar blues in B♭ (B♭7, E♭7 and F7), or over rock and funk riffs in B♭ minor.

Same root

Change a note or two and the same takes on a new mood.

Questions

B♭ blues, in short

What notes are in the B♭ blues scale?
The B♭ has six notes: B♭, D♭, E♭, E, F and A♭. As degrees: 1, ♭3, 4, ♯4, 5 and ♭7.
What chords go with the B♭ blues scale?
Play it over a 12-bar blues in B♭ (B♭7, E♭7 and F7), or over rock and funk riffs in B♭ minor.
All guitar scales